


Spirit of Fire

by Heavenly_Pearl



Series: Spirit of Fire and Other Side Stories [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Manga), Sailor Moon - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-12
Updated: 2012-05-04
Packaged: 2017-11-03 13:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 257,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/381677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavenly_Pearl/pseuds/Heavenly_Pearl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hino Keitaro didn't believe in love until he met Kondo Takara, a Shinto miko. However, when she dies unexpectedly, he pushes away the one person who needs him most. Now Keitaro wants Rei back in his life, but can she forgive her father for what he did?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: "Sailor Moon" is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.
> 
> AUTHOR'S NOTES: Special thanks to my editors, Krysia, Starsea, and Luna Hope.

He looked out at the cemetery through the tinted windows of his limousine, sadness evident in his normally stony gray eyes. They were a perfect match for the overcast skies.

 _Looks like rain_ , he thought, grabbing a large black umbrella from the seat beside him. The man then reached for the solid gold handle, but couldn't bring himself to open the car door. This was a mistake. He shouldn't have come.

It had been over ten years since he last visited the small Buddhist cemetery where his wife's ashes were buried. After the funeral, he just couldn't bring himself to visit her grave, afraid to feel the sharp pain that accompanied any reminder that Takara was no longer with him. So why now? What possessed him to return after so many years of pretending that the time spent with the raven-haired miko was nothing more than a beautiful dream he had been forced to wake up from?

He involuntarily jumped as the window separating him from the driver slowly rolled down. The driver, a sixty-year-old man who had been the prominent politician's personal chauffeur for the past fifteen or so years, glanced up at his boss's reflection in the rearview mirror, a confused look on his face.

"This is the correct address, is it not, Hino-sama?" he asked. "I followed the map, but some of the street names are faded and such…"

The man nodded. "Yes, this is the place, Ogata-kun, but I've changed my mind. Take me back to the office."

"As you wish, sir." Ogata rolled the window back up and started to drive away. They were barely ten feet away from the cemetery when his boss knocked on the glass. The driver stopped once again and pushed the button that put down the window. "Yes, Hino-sama?"

"I've decided to stay," the man replied, reaching again for the door handle and opening the door. He stepped out of the limousine, stretching out his hand to check for precipitation. It was lightly drizzling, but nothing too bothersome. Still, he took the umbrella just in case.

Ogata rolled down his driver's side window. "Should I wait here or come back later, sir?"

"I'll call you when I require your services," the man decided, checking to make sure he had his cell phone with him in his coat pocket. The chauffeur nodded before driving off.

Once the car was out of sight, the man turned around and pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose, sighing loudly. He was surprised to find the cemetery practically deserted except for about three or four families who braved the dreary weather to pay respect to their deceased relatives. It was the holy week of Obon, was it not? He expected to find the place more crowded, but he supposed the possibility of rain kept most mourners away.

After taking a deep breath, the politician forced himself to enter the cemetery, ignoring the atmosphere of death and loneliness that surrounded him like a thick wool blanket, almost suffocating him. He looked over the vicinity with his gray eyes, searching for a particular tombstone.

Though years had passed since he last saw her grave, the man was able to easily find the simple headstone located in the far corner of the graveyard. It was practically hidden in the shadows of an old sakura tree. He slowly walked toward the grave, suddenly feeling self-conscious as he realized that he had nothing to offer the deceased. It was too late to go back now though.

Only as he walked closer toward Takara's grave did he notice that someone else was already there. The visitor had long raven hair, almost the exact color of midnight, which hung loose down her back, and wore the familiar red and white robes of a Shinto miko. The faint smell of incense hung in the air, and the girl was softly speaking, mostly likely some prayer for the desceased. The man suddenly paused in his tracks, the color running from his face as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Takara…"

The shrine maiden turned around and glanced up at the sound of her mother's name, staring at the man who stood less than five feet away. Her lovely amethyst eyes, identical to her late mother's, darkened in a mixture of sadness and anger as she recognized who he was. The man knew he was the last person she wanted to see today.

"Otou-sama."


	2. Sparks Fly

Kondo Saburo, priest of the Hikawa Shrine, clasped his hands together in prayer, the flames of the sacred fire flickering over the still-handsome features of his face. He was chanting a familiar prayer, as he had done many times before. The fire knew and felt everything. He then threw another log on the fire, watching the flames flare up in combustive beauty as he fell into a deep meditative state.

His concentration was broken a few minutes later by the sound of footsteps, followed by the giggles of two girls arriving at the temple after a long day at school. A smile played across Saburo's lips, despite his annoyance at being interrupted during his afternoon meditation.

"Takara…"

The priest's daughter popped her head inside the prayer room, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, otou-san," she said, kissing him on the top of his gray-streaked black hair.

Saburo sighed, knowing that he could never stay mad at his only daughter for long. Takara just had this aura of love and happiness that was impossible to ignore. "Did I hear Miyuki-chan come in with you?" he asked, referring to Takara's best friend.

"Yes, otou-san. Miyuki-chan offered to help me with my chores today."

A pretty blonde wearing the same high school uniform as Takara walked into the room and bowed respectfully toward the priest. "Good afternoon, Kondo-sama," Miyuki said. "I hope you don't mind if I help Takara-chan."

"No, I don't mind, Miyuki-chan. You're welcome around here anytime. Besides, my daughter can use all the help she can get." That last part was said in a loud whisper which Takara didn't fail to hear.

She rolled her violet eyes. "Oh, otou-san, you're impossible."

"That's why you love me so much," the priest quipped. "Now why don't you and Miyuki-chan get to work and let an old man get back to his afternoon meditation.

Catching her father's none too subtle hint, Takara grabbed her friend's arm. "Come on, Miyuki-chan. Let's go change."

Miyuki called out a rushed goodbye to the priest as his daughter pulled her toward the bedroom, the two girls giggling loudly. Saburo grinned before sitting back down in front of the fire. Ah, to be young again. What he wouldn't give…

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After changing into the traditional red and white robes of a Shinto miko, Takara and Miyuki quietly exited the shrine, careful not to disturb the meditating priest. Once outside, however, Takara immediately ran onto the grass and began twirling around in circles as if she were a little girl again.

"Isn't it beautiful, Miyuki-chan?" she called out. "I just love the springtime. Everything feels so fresh, new and alive."

It was early spring, and the first signs of life were slowly appearing, melting away the final traces of winter snow. The wind blew softly, tossing Takara's long raven hair every which way as she continued running around in circles.

On the porch, Miyuki sighed, grabbed a broom, and began sweeping. "Takara-chan, quit fooling around. We have a lot of work to do around here."

"Oh, you're no fun," she pouted, though she did stop her spinning. Feeling a little faint, Takara took a few clumsy steps backward before falling on the ground.

Miyuki dropped her broom and ran over to her friend. "Takara-chan, are you okay?"

Though Miyuki held out her hand to help her up, Takara waved her friend away. "I'm fine. I just got a little dizzy from all that spinning. That's all."

"Are you sure? Maybe you should just go back inside and rest. Don't worry about your chores. I can take care of them. I usually do anyway."

The miko had to smile at her friend's suggestion of her so-called "laziness." It was nice of Miyuki to be so concerned about her, but sometimes she wished that everybody would stop treating her like some fragile vase that could break at any moment.

"You sound just like my father. Really, I'm fine. It was just a little dizzy spell."

Miyuki didn't seem convinced, but she didn't push the subject, knowing Takara didn't like to talk about her illness. The miko had been cursed with a weak heart, denying her of what most people would consider a normal childhood. Her father tried his best to make sure that she didn't overexert herself, but Miyuki knew Takara wished that she could be able to participate in the activities other people took for granted, such as running on the track team or riding a roller coaster.

As she watched Takara feed the twenty or so crows that made their home at the shrine, Miyuki felt tears welling up in her eyes. It just wasn't fair. Takara was such a beautiful girl, with an even more beautiful spirit. How could the gods be so cruel? If there were some way she could give her heart to Takara, she would do it without a second thought, for that was how much she loved her dearest and closest friend.

The blonde was suddenly interrupted from her thoughts when the Takara, noticing Miyuki's pensive gaze, threw a handful of corn at her friend. "Miyuki-chan, stop being such a worrywart and get back to work," Takara teased, hands on her hips. "I thought you were supposed to be helping me!"

Miyuki grabbed her forgotten broom, discreetly wiping away a tear that managed to roll down her cheek. It was just like Takara to jump right back up as if nothing had happened. That was the thing she liked most about Konda Takara, her fighting spirit. She was always the eternal optimist; nothing could bring her down for long. Miyuki then began sweeping the porch, a silent prayer for Takara's health on her lips.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hino Keitaro kicked a rock with the tip of his shoes as he walked along the road heading toward the Hikawa Shrine. This was pointless. He should have been at the library, studying for the upcoming final exams, but instead, he was forced to accompany his best friend Minoru to the shrine to buy some good luck charms. Personally, Keitaro thought the whole idea was ridiculous. If Minoru wanted to do well on Professor Kinomoto's notorious difficult ethics exam, he should have been in his room, studying, instead of relying on some Shinto hocus pocus scam, but as always, Minoru didn't listen to reason.

Even as they walked, Keitaro was silently reciting his notes in his head, the thought of the exams never too far from his mind. Some people would describe him as being a bookworm, but Keitaro preferred to call himself simply a dedicated student.

"This is such a waste of time," he muttered, kicking another rock.

Minoru, a tall and lanky man with red hair, rolled his green eyes. "You won't be saying that when you take a look at the old priest's daughter," he said, poking Keitaro in the ribs.

It would figure that a girl was the main reason Minoru wanted to visit the shrine. He was an incurable flirt. Although, recently, it seemed that Minoru's purpose in life was to find Keitaro a girlfriend, much to his annoyance. School and his internship took up enough of his time. The last thing he needed in his life was some clingy floozy wanting him to take her dancing or to the movies every other night.

"Don't tell me that this is another one of your pathetic attempts to set me up with a girl, Minoru-kun."

"It's a possibility."

Keitaro shook his head in minor annoyance. Minoru was his best friend, and he loved him, but sometimes he could be the biggest pest in the world. Keitaro just wasn't interested in love. Politics was his one and only mistress. Any girl he dated would just have to understand that his career always came first, and because of that, he doubted that he would ever find a girl to put up with him.

The men walked through the torii located at the front of the shrine, where they found two girls dressed in the robes of a traditional Shinto miko working in the garden. The girl with the long raven hair looked up from the plant she was watering, and seeing Minoru, waved. Waving back, Minoru poked Keitaro in the ribs again. So she must be the girl he was talking about.

Keitaro had to admit that the miko was pretty. In fact, she might have been the most beautiful girl he ever met, though he would never admit it. With her slender frame and pale complexion, she reminded him of a beautiful porcelain doll he once saw in the window of a toy store in Kyoto. Passionate purple eyes looked up at them from behind her bangs, contrasting with her otherwise delicate features, and when she smiled, it was as if an angel was in their presence.

"Good afternoon, Uchizawa-san," the miko said, bowing to greet the guests. A blonde who wore her hair in a braid followed suit. "It's so wonderful to see you again, and I see this time you brought a friend."

"Yes. This is my friend and fellow classmate, Hino Keitaro-san," Minoru said. "Keitaro-kun, I would like to introduce you to Kondo Takara-san and her friend Asaka Miyuki-san."

"It's nice to meet you, Hino-san," Takara replied, bowing again as a faint blush crawled up her cheeks.

"The pleasure is mine, Kondo-san," Keitaro said, uncharacteristically flustered in the presence of the pretty shrine maiden. "Minoru-kun was just telling me how beaut…uh, I mean how nice you are."

Takara giggled in mild embarrassment, the sound of her laugh clear as a bell in the springtime air, and Keitaro couldn't help but to smile. Beside her, Miyuki shot her friend a look.

"Oh, please forgive my rudeness. Is there something we can do to help you?"

"Keitaro-kun and I are interested in buying some good luck charms," Minoru said, running a hand through his dark red hair. "Final exams are approaching soon, and we can use all the luck we can get."

Keitaro rolled his eyes. "Actually, Minoru-kun is the one who wants to buy good luck charms. I don't believe in all that voodoo mumbo jumbo."

Hurt flashed across the miko's lovely violet eyes, and Keitaro immediately regretted his choice of words. He bit his bottom lip, unsure of what to say, but luckily Minoru smoothed things over.

"Uh… I think what Keitaro-kun meant to say was that he is Catholic and that he doesn't believe charms can bring good luck."

"I see."

Takara gave him a forgiving smile, but Keitaro still felt horrible for insulting her beliefs like that. He was such an idiot! Miyuki then lead them toward the shrine to buy the charms while Minoru attempted to flirt (unsuccessfully) with the blonde. Takara and Keitaro lagged behind, an uncomfortable silence between them.

"I just want to say how terribly sorry I am about what I said back there, Kondo-san," he finally said, breaking the silence. "It was rude and insensitive. I acted like a complete jerk. Just because I don't have the same beliefs as you gives me no right to insult your religion like that. I hope you can accept my sincerest apologies."

"There's no need to apologize, Hino-san. I know you didn't mean it. It was just a slip of the tongue," Takara replied with another smile.

When they finally reached the shrine, the girls went inside and quickly came out with a box of charms. Minoru bought five from Miyuki, one for each of his classes, while Keitaro quietly waited, occasionally finding himself looking over at Takara, who was organizing the box of charms. She really was quite beautiful...

"Do those things really work?" Keitaro asked, deciding he might as well make conversation while Minoru continued flirting with the blonde.

Takara looked up, surprised. "The charms? Many people believe they do, although I can understand why you would be doubtful. After all, to most, they appear to be just ordinary pieces of paper, but to those who truly believe, wonderful things can, and often do, happen." Reaching into the box, the miko pulled out a charm and held it out to Keitaro, a smile on her face. "Here, take one and see for yourself if they really work. It's my treat."

He shook his head. "No, that's okay, Kondo-san. I doubt it would work for me, considering I don't hold your beliefs."

"I insist, Hino-san," she said. "And it will work, as long as you believe in something, whether it's the Christian God, Buddha, or the Shinto kami. It doesn't really matter what you believe in, only that you believe."

Contemplating her words for a second, Keitaro reluctantly took the charm Takara offered him, not wanting to seem ungrateful, especially after what he said earlier. Who knew? Maybe the charm really would bring him good luck, though Keitaro doubted it. Good things rarely happened to him.

"I thought you said you didn't believe in good luck charms, Keitaro-kun," Minoru said upon seeing Keitaro staring at the charm in his hand.

Keitaro shrugged as he placed the charm in his pocket. "I suppose a little luck couldn't hurt."

"As if you need it," Minoru scoffed. He turned to the girls. "This guy is an absolute genius. In all the years I've known him, Keitaro-kun has always been at the top of the class. It annoys the heck out of me."

"I'm no genius," Keitaro replied modestly, pushing his gold-rimmed glasses back up his nose. "I just work hard and actually study, which is more than I can say about a certain business major I happen to know."

Minoru feigned shock. "You can't possibly mean me. I'll have you know, I study very hard whenever I'm not eating or partying or playing video games."

"Which would be when? While you sleep?"

Minoru's face burned red in embarrassment, the exact same shade as his hair, as the girls started giggling. Keitaro slapped his friend on the shoulder, quite enjoying making fun of his best friend. "You know I'm just kidding. He actually does study sometimes, but his favorite subject seems to be women's studies," he teased. The girls laughed harder.

Minoru looked like he wanted to kill Keitaro right then and there, but he didn't care. It served him right for dragging him away from his studies. Although, Keitaro was secretly grateful. He sometimes got so caught up in his work and studies that he forgot what it felt like to actually have fun. It felt nice to be able to laugh and relax, even if it was just for a few minutes.

Miyuki wiped away a tear of laughter as things finally calmed back down. "So, what's you major at the university, Hino-san? Are you studying business with Uchizawa-san?"

"Actually, I am studying political science."

His face returning to its natural color, Minoru reached into his pocket and pulled out a flyer. "Yeah, Keitaro-kun is going to become the youngest prime minister of Japan someday," he said, handing the yellow paper to Takara. "You should hear him speak. There's going to be a rally in the quad tomorrow for the Liberal Democratic Party. Perhaps we'll see you both there."

"I'm not really interested in politics," Takara admitted, looking down at the flyer, "but I'll try to come. I would very much like to hear Hino-san's speech."

"Great!" Minoru discreetly winked at an embarrassed Keitaro before turning his attention to Miyuki. "What about you, Asaka-san? Will you come?"

"I don't know, Uchizawa-san. I have a lot of homework to do this weekend…" Behind the counter, Takara stepped on Miyuki's foot, causing her to squeal in surprise. She shot her friend a look. "On second though, I would love to come. After all, a girl can't study all the time."

"A woman after my own heart," Minoru said, grinning at the blonde. "Hopefully we'll see you there."

Keitaro tapped the face of his watch, signaling that it was time to go. As much as he would have loved to stay and talk with the mysterious miko with the beautiful amethyst eyes, they both needed to study. The men said goodbye to Takara and Miyuki and left.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The walk back to campus was relatively quiet until they neared the quad. From the look on Keitaro's face, Minoru could tell his friend was ticked with him for some reason, although he really had no idea why. All he did was invite a couple of pretty girls to the rally. Was that really such a crime?

"Okay, what is it?" he finally asked. "Did I do something wrong back there?"

Keitaro glanced over at his friend, sighing. "Not exactly, but why did you have to invite them to the rally?"

"Come on, Keitaro-kun. I know you like her."

Keitaro smiled softly as he wrapped his hand around the charm in his pocket. "Kondo-san is very beautiful…"

Pleased that he was right about Takara, Minoru grinned. He knew those two would hit it off. "See? I told you. I am only pointing Cupid in the right direction."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I have no interest in love, Minoru-kun?" Keitaro asked, his smile disappearing. "It's just a waste of time."

"But don't you ever think about marriage and having kids?"

The budding politician shrugged his shoulders. "I'm open to the idea of a political marriage if the opportunity should arise."

Minoru rolled his eyes. He was impossible. "Can't you have it both? A successful career and a loving family?"

"Governor Negishi-sama married for love the first time around, and the marriage didn't work out because he spent too much time at the office. That's why he told me that a politician should never fall in love. He should just find himself an attractive wife who doesn't mind living in her husband's shadow and who will work hard to give him a good image."

"That doesn't sound like a marriage. It sounds more like a business arrangement."

"That's basically what it is."

"Look, I know the governor is your idol, Keitaro-kun, but just because he had one bad marriage doesn't mean you will too."

The blond suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning to face his friend. Keitaro rested both his hands on Minoru's shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. "Minoru-kun, listen to me for once, will you?" he said. "I appreciate your concern, but for the last time, I don't need a wife, and I don't want a wife. Love causes nothing but heartache and sorrow in the end, and it's about time you learned that. Now, will you please just forget about this mission of yours to find me a girlfriend? It's not going to happen. I've got to go."

Keitaro let Minoru go and began walking toward the library. However, Minoru stayed put, refusing to believe that his friend could be so disenchanted with the idea of love. Who didn't dream of finding that one special someone with whom he could spend the rest of his life?

"This is about your uncle, isn't it?" Minoru called out, causing Keitaro to turn around in shock. At that moment, he knew he had struck a nerve, though Keitaro tried to hide it by glancing away.

"My uncle?" the blond asked, visibly swallowing. "Why would he have anything to do with my not wanting to marry?"

Minoru shook his head, walking over to where Keitaro stood. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" he suggested. "All I know is that ever since Hino-san died, you have not gone on one single date. In fact, you've barely gone out at all. You don't have any friends beside me, you never attend any of the parties I invite you to, and, other than the LDP and the honor society, you don't belong to any campus organizations. All you ever do anymore is study and work. You used to not be this way, Keitaro-kun. Sure, you studied and worked hard, but you knew how to have fun every once in a while."

"Can we just drop the subject?" Keitaro asked bluntly, obviously not in the mood to hear anymore of what Minoru had to say. He turned and started climbing up the steps to the library. "I need to do some studying, so I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you."

Minoru watched his best friend enter the library, worried about Keitaro. It wasn't healthy for him to be holding in his emotions like that. Though he hadn't really realized it until now, Keitaro was still grieving, even though his uncle had died nearly three years ago of cancer. The two of them had been extremely close, almost like father and son, and his death had devastated Keitaro. Maybe that was why he was so adamant about never falling in love. Keitaro was scared of losing yet another person he loved, so he pushed everyone away, even Minoru. It was no secret that they weren't as close as they used to be, but that was no way to live.

There had to be some way to convince Keitaro that it was okay to open his heart again. Minoru was more determined now than ever to find Keitaro a girlfriend, and he knew just the girl for the job. From the first moment they laid eyes on each other, Minoru could see the attraction between his friend and the beautiful miko. Now, all he needed was a plan.

Keitaro and Takara were meant to be together. They just didn't know it yet.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After finishing their chores, the two girls decided to take a break underneath the beautiful sakura tree beside the shrine. Miyuki smiled in amusement as a magnificent black crow perched itself on her friend's slender shoulder, cawing softly. Only Takara could make friends with a bird most people considered a pest. This particular crow was one of the newer arrivals to the shrine, but it already seemed to have built a special bond with her.

"So, what are you going to call this one?" Miyuki asked. Takara liked to name each and every crow that made its home at the shrine, although how she managed to remember all their names remained a mystery to her.

"Hmmm…"

"Takara-chan, are you listening to me?"

The shrine maiden finally looked up from her corn-filled hand which she was feeding to the crow and blushed faintly. Miyuki rolled her dark brown eyes, used to her best friend's occasional visits to fantasyland. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?" she asked.

Takara's blush deepened. "I don't know who you're talking about, Miyuki-chan."

"Oh, but I think you do," she teased, playfully wagging her finger. "Ever since Hino Keitaro-san left, you've had this silly grin on your face that can only mean one thing. You like him, don't you?"

Takara leaned back against the trunk of the tree as the crow flew off to join her friends. A wistful sigh escaped from her soft pink lips. "Hino-san is very handsome…"

"I knew it, I knew it!" Miyuki exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "So, that's why you gave Hino-san that charm and told Uchizawa-san that you and I would go to the rally tomorrow."

Takara shrugged, trying to pull it off as no big deal, but it was evident by the tiny smile that tugged at her lips that Miyuki had guessed correctly. "It might be interesting, you know," Takara said, braiding a strand of her long, dark hair. "I've never been to a political rally before. I wonder what one should wear to this kind of thing."

"Your red sundress and those cute little sandals you bought last weekend," Miyuki answered without missing a beat. "Definitely. Hino-san won't be able to resist you."

Takara rolled her eyes and playfully swatted Miyauki on the arm as her father walked out on the porch, waving. "Takara, dinner's ready," he shouted.

"Coming, otou-san!" Takara stood up and brushed the grass off the back of her robes. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Miyuki-chan?"

She looked down at her watch and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't. I told okaa-san that I would be home by seven to watch my little brother. Maybe next time. I've got to go."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Keitaro walked into Minoru's room without knocking, waking his sleepyhead roommate from an apparently very pleasant dream. Minoru groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over his head. "Damn it, Keitaro-kun!" he cursed. "You have got to have the worst timing ever. Kayama-sensei was just about to join me in the hot tub."

Keitaro rolled his eyes at his friend, tightening the red silk tie he wore around his neck. Minoru sat up and wrinkled his nose, expressing his distaste at the rather formal three-piece grey suit he had decided to wear.

"What?" Keitaro asked. "You don't like it? This is one of my best suits."

"It's fine if you want to impress my grandmother, but to play to the younger generation, you've got to be hip and fresh, man."

Keitaro raised a skeptical eyebrow at his friend. "Hip" and "fresh" were two terms that would never be used to describe the serious young man. He was always well-dressed and polite, the type of guy a girl could be proud take home to Mom and Dad. The word "casual" wasn't in his vocabulary.

"So, what do you suggest I wear to the rally, o, mighty Lord of Coolness?"

Minoru frowned, studying his roommate's attire with a critical eye. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Lose the vest and the tie," he ordered. "And switch the jacket for my blue blazer. You definitely need a bit of color. It probably wouldn't hurt to undo the top two buttons on your shirt, as well, to show off your sexy side. The coeds will love that."

"I'm trying to win votes for the LDP, not a girl, Minoru-kun," Keitaro pointed out as he loosened his tie and took off the jacket. "Unlike you, I don't mix business with pleasure."

"Not even when an incredibly gorgeous Shinto miko promises to attend, just to hear your speech?"

Keitaro coughed into his fist, for once seeming flustered, which Minoru took as a good sign. It was rare for a girl to have that kind of effect on Mr. Lonelyheart himself. Indeed, in all the years he'd known Keitaro, this was the first time he ever saw the beginnings of what could only be called a "crush" in his best friend.

"I'm sure Kondo-san's reasons to attend the rally are strictly educational," Keitaro insisted. He grabbed the blazer Minoru tossed toward him and slipped it on. "She told us herself that she did not know much about politics, so what better way to learn than to attend a rally for the Liberal Democratic Party?"

"Right, and I just decided to take International Economics because I'm so interested in the economic situation in third-world countries. The fact that Kayama-sensei is drop dead gorgeous had absolutely no influence on my decision," Minoru replied, rolling his green eyes. "Get a clue. Kondo-san likes you, and as much as you hate to admit it, you like her too."

Ignoring his comment, Keitaro turned to face the small mirror hanging on the wall while he unconsciously unbuttoned the top of his shirt. It was amazing what a difference a few minor changes made. He ran a hand through his hair, slightly tousling his wavy blond mane. "How do I look now?"

"She won't be able to resist you."

Keitaro rolled his eyes, but smiled at his reflection as he took one last look in the mirror. "Good."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Takara and Miyuki arrived at the university that morning, they found the quad already filled with people, waiting for the rally to begin. Takara wasn't expecting so many spectators. Most were college students, though she did see a couple of reporters milling around, taking pictures and asking questions. She also spotted a few prominent members of the government shaking hands with the students, no doubt lobbying for votes, but Keitaro was nowhere in sight.

 _Where is he?_ she asked herself, standing on her tiptoes in an attempt to see over the crowd. This was worse than the time she dragged Miyuki to the airport just so she could get a glimpse of her favorite idol as he boarded off the plane after a nationwide tour. They never even got the chance to see him, the mob of screaming fans blocking him from their view.

"It's Ono Masanori-san all over again," Miyuki muttered under her breath, seemingly reading her thoughts.

Takara nodded, taking the blonde's hand. "Come on, Miyuki-chan. Let's find Uchizawa-san and Hino-san. They have to be around here somewhere."

Not giving Miyuki the chance to answer, Takara pulled her inside the crowd, the two girls weaving in and out between the spectators. She thought she saw a flash of Minoru's red hair over by the podium, but upon closer inspection, it was just a tech setting up the microphone. Then Miyuki thought she saw Keitaro speaking with one of the reporters. When they finally reached the reporter, however, the blond man had already left. Frustrated, the raven-haired girl bit her bottom lip, thinking that perhaps they should just leave since there was absolutely no way they would be able to find either of the boys in this mob scene.

"Kondo-san! Asaka-san! Over here!"

The girls turned around at the sound of their names, spotting a familiar redhead waving his arms high above his head in a bid to get their attention. If there was one thing Minoru was, it definitely wasn't subtle. Takara grabbed Miyuki's hand once again, pushing through the crowds until they met the future businessman somewhere in the center of the quad, standing on the edge of a large fountain. No wonder he'd been so easy to spot.

"Hey, you made it!" he exclaimed, jumping from his perch and landing right beside a startled Miyuki. "I thought that maybe you changed your mind."

"Isn't that dangerous, Uchizawa-san?" Miyuki asked, always the mother hen.

He shot the pretty blonde a cocky half-grin. "What? Jumping from the fountain? Nah, I do it all the time."

Miyuki was hardly impressed. She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a good scolding. "One of these days, you are going to slip and break your neck, pulling stunts like that. Don't they teach you anything in those classes of yours?"

"Did anybody ever tell you that you need to loosen up, Asaka-san?" he countered, rolling his eyes. "You're worse than my okaa-san."

Miyuki let out a long breath, the air blowing the strands of loose hair out of her eyes. "You know what, Uchizawa-san? You are positively infuriating."

"And you are impossible."

Letting the two continue their playful bickering without interruption, Takara slipped off the pair of high heel sandals she was wearing and carefully climbed up on the ledge of the fountain where Minoru stood less than five minutes ago. It was indeed very slick, the surface covered with water. She quickly grabbed the arm of the statue to catch her balance, then looked up and scanned the area.

She could see why Minoru chose the spot to look for them. From the vantage point on the fountain, she could easily see almost the entire quad. Takara shielded her eyes from the noontime sun with her free hand and searched the sea of college students and reporters for a certain handsome young man.

"Takara-chan!" Miyuki gasped, finally noticing her. The blonde placed her hands on her hips, looking up at Takara. "Are you insane? What did I just finish telling Uchizawa-san? Get down from there right this instant!"

Takara shook her head, the soft breeze blowing her long hair behind her. "I can't see anything from down there," she replied. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to jump or do anything crazy like that. You worry too much, Miyuki-chan."

Behind the blonde, Minoru grinned. "See, what did I tell you, Asaka-san? Even Kondo-san agrees with me."

Hearing his comment, Miyuki reached back and poked him in the ribcage with her elbow, causing him to groan in pain. "You're not helping," Miyuki said. "Now, make yourself useful and help Takara-chan down from there. Her father would have a heart attack if he could see her right now."

Miyuki, forever the spoilsport. She never let her have any fun, but Takara knew she was only looking out for her well-being. Following orders, Minoru stepped in front of the miko and securely placed his hands on her slender waist. Takara then slowly let go of her grip on the statue, resting both her hands on his shoulders.

However, just as Minoru prepared to set her down, her eyes suddenly shut as she felt an attack of dizziness come over her. _Not again!_ She so wanted this day to pass without another attack. Alarmed, Miyuki came over to help, fear in her brown eyes.

"Takara-chan, are you alright?"

Once the dizzy spell passed, Takara nodded and smiled, not wanting Miyuki to know the truth. If she knew she had another attack, she would no doubt insist they take her back to the shrine, and Takara had no intention of leaving without hearing Keitaro's speech. "I'm fine," she lied. "It was just a little touch of vertigo. It'll be okay once I get down from here. Uchizawa-san, help me."

With Miyuki's worried eyes never leaving her, Minoru gently lifted Takara off the fountain and placed her back on the ground. Takara thanked him before putting on her shoes, careful not to meet the blonde's penetrating gaze. Miyuki had an uncanny ability to know when she was keeping something from her.

"Come on, girls," Minoru said once Takara finished buckling the back of her sandals. "The rally is about to start, and I know just the place to stand so we can get a good view of Keitaro-kun during his speech without causing Asaka-san to have a coronary."

"Hey, I resent that…"

The lanky redhead took the lead, rather boldly taking Miyuki's hand. She pretended to object, but Takara smiled, knowing Miyuki was enjoying the attention. She followed closely behind, grabbing Miyuki's free hand as they once again swam in the ocean of spectators to a spot near the podium, just off to the side where it was less crowded. Like Minoru had said, standing there provided them with one of the best views of the activities. She could easily see Keitaro standing with a couple of the other speakers, looking very handsome and more laid-back than he had appeared yesterday at the shrine.

Her heart fluttered when he suddenly turned around, his soft gray eyes locking with hers. At first, she was worried that she was having another attack, but the feeling she felt in her chest was far different from anything she ever felt before. It felt warm and light and comforting all mixed together, like the beautiful quilt her mother made her when she was just a little girl. What was this strange feeling?

And why did it feel so right?

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Keitaro discreetly wiped his sweaty palms on Minoru's blazer, wondering why he suddenly felt so nervous. It wasn't like him. Speaking in public never bothered him before. But today, it was different.

Maybe it was the fact that the crowd today was much larger than he expected. Of course, this was an election year, so it shouldn't have been much of a surprise that more people were attending the rally than usual. That was the trend, after all. Regular citizens rarely paid much attention to politics unless there was an election coming up or somebody was threatening to hike up their taxes, which really was a shame to someone like Keitaro, who lived and breathed politics, rarely thinking about anything else.

No, he doubted that the large attendance was the cause of his sudden apprehension. Letting his attention wander from the conversation between Governor Negishi and a reporter from the _Tokyo Daily News_ , he turned toward the crowd, looking for Minoru. He found the redhead in the company of two high school girls, one a serious blonde and the other a beautiful Shinto miko with hair the color of midnight.

Unconsciously, he drew in a sharp breath as he met the gaze of Kondo Takara. Though she said she'd be there, Keitaro had to admit he had his doubts that she would actually show up, despite Minoru's assurances otherwise. He would think that attending a boring old political rally was far down on the list of ways a teenage girl would want to spend her Saturday. She wasn't even old enough to vote yet.

"Keitaro-san, I think it's about time we begin," Negishi said, resting a hand on his shoulder to get Keitaro's attention. The younger man involuntarily jumped, startled by his mentor's touch.

"Y-Yes, sir," Keitaro stuttered, turning back around to the governor.

Governor Negishi Shinji, while almost nearing the ripe old age of seventy-three, still had the mind and heart of a young man. He winked at his protégé, somehow seeming to know exactly what was on Keitaro's mind. "Is she pretty?"

"Who?" Keitaro asked, pretending to not know what he was talking about.

"The girl, of course. The one who has you off in the clouds, dreaming of love and romance."

Keitaro shook his head and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Negishi-sama, I have no idea what you're talking about. You know my views on love. Indeed, if I remember correctly, it was you who told me 'Love is like a challenger in an election; sometimes you win, but most of the time you just end up making a big fool out of yourself.'"

The governor chuckled at his own wit, his less than flat stomach bouncing merrily like a jolly Santa Claus at Christmas. "True, true, my boy," he replied. "Never were truer words spoken. But…"

His eyes saddened as he seemed to remember something from long ago. Keitaro never saw the governor act so strangely. "Sir? Are you feeling alright?"

"Oh, yes, of course," he said, breaking from his thoughts. "Just a little visit down Memory Lane. You know, there were good times, too. Even fools win some victories."

Keitaro didn't even try to figure out what he was talking about. Negishi was a pro at speaking yet managing not to say anything important at all. That was one of the things that made him such a great politician. Instead, Keitaro excused himself and walked over to the podium, pulling out the small stack of index cards outlining his speech from his pocket. His fingers briefly brushed against the good luck charm Takara gave him the day before, and he smiled.

The crowd before him quieted down as he stepped up to the microphone and cleared his throat. He glanced over to where Minoru and the girls were still standing, returning the small smile the Shinto miko gave him. The nervousness he had before seemed to disappear as he began his speech.

"Good afternoon. We welcome you to today's rally for the Liberal Democratic Party. Former Prime Minister and party leader Tachibana Yasuo-sama once said…"

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A certain young business major with the soul of a cupid in his heart watched with interest the discreet looks that passed between his best friend and the raven-haired miko, pleased that there seemed to be a mutual attraction between them that was even more noticeable than the day before. If this kept up, he might not even have to put _Operation: Get Keitaro a Girlfriend_ into action. Although, what would be the fun in that? Especially since the plan allowed him to spend more time with the overprotective, yet beautiful, blonde named Miyuki.

"You were right, Uchizawa-san," Miyuki remarked after Keitaro finished the opening speech to a burst of thunderous applause. "Hino-san is a wonderful speaker."

Minoru grinned, leaning against a nearby tree. "Yes, he is. In fact, I think that was one of the best speeches he ever gave."

A few feet away, Takara nodded her head in agreement, though her eyes never left the podium until Keitaro took his seat beside Governor Negishi. Even then, she didn't say anything, a soft smile on her face as she silently listened to the other speakers. Miyuki shot Minoru a knowing look, obviously thinking the same thing he was.

The rally ended about an hour later with the release of colorful balloons into the clear blue sky. Minoru reached up and grabbed a passing blue balloon for a blushing Miyuki as Keitaro walked up to the group. "Hey, great speech, man!" Minoru said, slapping his roommate on the back. "Never been better."

"It was nothing, Minoru-kun," Keitaro replied modestly, sneaking a quick glance at Takara.

"No, it wasn't, Hino-san," the miko insisted, her hands folded over her heart. "You were wonderful! So passionate and eloquent. You really have a way with words."

"Thank you, Kondo-san." He bowed respectfully toward the two girls. "I'm glad that you and Asaka-san were able to come today."

"So am I."

The two exchanged smiles, the electricity between them very evident even though Keitaro quickly turned away to look at the large clock looming over the campus. A bell, signaling the start of a new hour, rang clearly through the air. "It's getting late," he remarked. "I'm sure you girls have work to do at the shrine. Why don't we walk you home?"

Minoru banged the back of his head against the bark of the tree. _Idiot, idiot, idiot_. What was he doing, sending Takara home so early? He thought Keitaro was finally on the right track, but here he was, pushing her away as if she had some kind of contagious disease. Looked like he was going to have to put _Operation: Get Keitaro a Girlfriend_ in action after all.

"Actually, Keitaro-kun," he said, walking behind Miyuki and resting his hands on the blonde's shoulders, "I promised Asaka-san that I would give her a tour of the campus since this is where she will be attending next semester."

"What?" she exclaimed, looking up at him. "You did no such thing, Uchizawa-san. And for your information, I'm not attending Tokyo Uni-"

"Sure, you are," he interrupted her, throwing Miyuki a pleading look. Her mouth formed a silent "O" as she finally realized what he was trying to do. "Remember?"

The blonde slapped herself on the forehead. "Now I do. Last week, I told Uchizawa-san that I was thinking about applying to Tokyo University, and he offered to show me around sometime so I could get a feel of the place. It must have completely slipped my mind. Silly me!"

Takara's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "But, Miyuki-chan, weren't you already accepted to that college in Osaka?"

"Yes, but you know what I always say, 'Always keep your options open.'"

"You've never said that before in your entire life."

"Well, I do now," Miyuki quipped, glaring daggers at Minoru.

Minoru winked at Keitaro, taking Miyuki's hand. "And maybe while I'm showing Asaka-san around campus, you can take Kondo-san out to lunch," he suggested to Keitaro. "Although I recommend staying as far way as possible from the cafeteria. That place is Barf City. Take her to that new restaurant overlooking Tokyo Bay. It's not too far from here. Then we can meet up with you two later at the marina. Okay? Bye!"

"Minoru-kun…" Keitaro lightly growled, but it was already too late. He and Miyuki had already left, not waiting for an answer.

Keitaro sighed, shaking his head in defeat. Would that guy ever give up in his mission to set him up with a woman? He knew that the main reason Minoru wanted to drag Miyuki on a tour around campus was so that he and Takara could have some time alone together. Knowing Minoru, he probably had this whole plan set up from the time they left the Hikawa Shrine yesterday afternoon. This "suggestion" of his to take Takara to _Umi's_ , noted as one of Tokyo's most romantic and exclusive eateries, was a little too thought out for it to be a spur-of-the-moment idea.

Nevertheless, Keitaro turned around to face the beautiful miko, who wore a tentative smile on her lips. He could tell that she too didn't know quite what to think about the situation. The two of them stood in uncomfortable silence.

"Um… Maybe I should head back to the shrine, Hino-san," Takara finally said. "I don't want to be a bother. I'm sure you have better things to do than keep me company. Goodbye."

"No, you don't have to leave, Kondo-san," he replied, taking her arm as she turned to walk away. Keitaro took in a deep breath, not believing what he was about to do. "Actually, lunch sounds like a good idea. Would… Would you care to join me?"

The miko smiled, taking the arm he offered.

"I'd like that."

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Lunch went rather nicely, considering the somewhat contrived circumstances surrounding it. Apparently, Minoru had put even more thought into his plan than Keitaro originally suspected. When the two of them arrived at _Umi's_ , he was surprised to learn that somebody had already made reservations under his name. Not only that, they were given one of the tables on the outside terrace, noted as usually reserved for only VIPs and special guests.

As they sat down and looked at the menu, Keitaro couldn't help wondering how Minoru managed to pull this whole thing off. He didn't know whether he should thank the guy or strangle him when they got back to the apartment. On one hand, Takara did seem to be enjoying herself as she watched the waves crash against the shore, the cool breeze coming from the waters blowing her raven tresses gently behind her. But, on the other hand, Keitaro did not take kindly to people interfering in his life, no matter how good Minoru's intentions were. If he'd really wanted to take Takara out on a date, he would have done it himself. Eventually.

Okay, so maybe he had needed a little push in the right direction. Keitaro never went on many dates. In fact, he could probably count the number of dates he had on one hand. Romance was never very high on his list of priorities. Politics and his schoolwork always came first, and that was the way he liked it. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the waiter, took their orders and sat down a couple of glasses of green tea. Taking a sip of her drink, Takara sighed, still entranced by the beauty of Tokyo Bay. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked, a wistful look on her face. "The view from here is perfect."

"Yes, it is," he agreed, for the first time looking around at the scenery.

"Do you come here often?"

Keitaro shook his head. "Actually, no, I don't. Occasionally Minoru-kun will drag me to the piers for one of his fishing trips, but usually I'm far too busy with school and my internship at Governor Negishi-sama's office to have time to just relax."

The miko blinked her eyes, obviously impressed. "You really are on your way to becoming Prime Minister, aren't you?" she lightly teased. "How did you become so interested in politics, anyway? I could tell by your speech that government is something you are very passionate about."

Keitaro shrugged his shoulders as a waiter brought their salads to the table. He poured a little dressing on top of the lettuce before answering her question. "Well, I suppose it was partly because my uncle was a politician. Ever since I was a little boy, I was always taught that working for the government was a noble profession, despite what other people might think. Since I often worked for my uncle's campaigns and saw what good it did, I decided I would follow in his footsteps. In fact, he was the one who arranged for my internship with Negishi-sama."

"That was nice of him. Are the two of you close?"

Keitaro turned away, overcome with the same emotions he felt yesterday when he was talking to Minoru. He never should have brought it up. Sensing his grief, Takara reached across the table, a slender hand covering his own in comfort. "We were close," Keitaro finally said softly. "Very close. My uncle was my idol. But he passed away right before I started my second year of college."

Silence fell over them, uninterrupted until the waiter brought the rest of their meal. He sat a large steak in front of Keitaro and a plate of shrimp in front of Takara, but food was the last thing on their minds.

"I'm sorry, Hino-san," Takara apologized once the waiter left. "I didn't mean to upset you. I know how you must feel. My mother died when I was eight, and sometimes I still miss her so much it feels like the tears will never stop."

Her hand traveled to her neck, clutching a gorgeous heart-shaped ruby pendant that hung from a slender gold chain. Takara took a deep breath before she continued. "This necklace was the last thing she ever gave me. It was a birthday present, and I remember being so happy that day. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw in my entire life. Okaa-san helped me put it on, and she told me that the pendent was a little piece of her heart that I could always carry around with me when she wasn't there anymore." She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "At the time, I had no idea what she was talking about. I knew okaa-san was sick, but I always thought she would get better. When you're eight, you think your parents are invincible, right? But, about three weeks later, she died, and ever since that day, I've worn this necklace. It's silly, but every time I look at it, it feels as if she never left, as if her heart is really with me. You know? Or maybe you just think I'm crazy for thinking like that."

Keitaro shook his head, offering his handkerchief. "No, Kondo-san, I don't think you're crazy at all," he said. "That's the same way I feel about politics. After my uncle's death, I threw myself into my internship, knowing that it was always his dream for me to be elected to public office. Even after he was gone, I still wanted to make him proud, and sometimes I imagine he's still here, cheering me on…"

His voice trailed off as he reached for his fork and knife and started cutting his steak. He didn't want to talk about his uncle anymore. It was still too hard. Understanding, Takara let the subject die, starting on her own plate. The rest of the meal passed without incident.

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After the delicious lunch, Keitaro and Takara went down to the docks to wait for Minoru and Miyuki. They were early or rather, their friends were late, probably wanting to give them as much time alone together as possible. So, the two of them decided to walk down the piers, neither saying very much, but it was a comfortable silence.

Sighing, Takra glanced up at her companion, noticing he still had that same sad look in his eyes. Though things had went well after that first initial uncomfortable moment, she could tell that he was still upset by his reawakened feelings of grief. Takara wished there was something she could do to make him feel better. She hated seeing anyone unhappy.

Without thinking, Takara instinctively reached for his hand, finding it cold to the touch. It was becoming colder by the minute as the sun set in the distance, painting the sky a palette of soft reds, pinks, and oranges. She shivered, feeling a pleasant chill run up her spine.

"Do you want my jacket?" Keitaro asked, slowly pulling his hand away from her grasp.

"No, I'm fine," she answered. "How about you, Hino-san? Are you okay?"

He chuckled. "I'm fine. I got the jacket."

"That's not what I was talking about."

The tiny smile on Keitaro's face disappeared, and he dug his hands into the pocket of his slacks. "No, I didn't think so."

Takara pressed her lips together, looking out toward the bay. The water was inviting, blue and calm. She suddenly got an idea. "Come on," she said, taking his arm and pulling him down the pier to the beach down below.

Keitaro reluctantly followed her, surprised when she stopped near a sand dune and slipped off her sandals. "What are you doing, Kondo-san?"

"You'll see," she replied with a smile, dusting the sand off the back of her red dress. "Take off your socks and shoes and roll up your pants."

Confused, yet intrigued, Keitaro sat down on the dune and began doing as she asked, setting his shoes and socks on Minoru's neatly folded blazer. While he was doing that, Takara ran ahead, standing at the water's edge. She giggled as she quickly sprinted away when a small wave crashed on shore, trying not to get wet. It didn't work, as the hem of her dress was damp, but Takara didn't seem to mind. She immediately resumed her position at the edge, waiting for next wave.

Despite himself, Keitaro smiled, unable to take his eyes off the enchanting teen. If he thought she was beautiful before, Takara was positively gorgeous now, playing in the ocean as if she didn't have a care in the world. A combination of woman and child, she was unlike anyone he ever met in his entire life. She was truly a free spirit.

"Come on, Hino-san," she shouted, waving her hands over her head when she noticed he hadn't joined her. "The water's great!"

Keitaro finally stood up and walked over to the edge, letting the water wash over his bare feet. She was right. The still warm water felt wonderful in the coolness of the sunset. Spotting another wave, the miko grabbed his hand, and they both ran toward the dry shore, laughing as some of the water managed to soak the bottom of their clothes.

They continued playing their little game for the next ten minutes, not even noticing when two figures appeared by the sand dune where they had left their shoes. Takara and Keitaro were oblivious to everything around them.

However, they finally stopped when Takara nearly tripped, falling straight into Keitaro's arms. She closed her eyes, hoping the dizzy spell would fade away soon. One of the shadowed figures gasped, but the other held the woman back, not wanting to interrupt.

"Kondo-san, are you okay?" Kietaro asked, alarmed. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, helping her stand.

Takara nodded, looking up at Keitaro once the dizziness passed. She was surprised to see worry in his soft gray eyes. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I just got a little dizzy from all that running. It's nothing to worry about. It happens every so often."

"Are you sure? Maybe I should take you -"

A slender finger reached up to touch his lips, silencing his words. "The only place I should be is here, with you," she whispered, finally saying what she had been wanting to tell him since the rally.

Keitaro's eyes widened, not expecting her to be so forward. "Kondo-san…"

"I'm sorry," she said, embarrassed. "Maybe I should go…"

Takara attempted to pull away from his embrace, but found herself unable. Instead, Keitaro lifted her chin and bent down to brush his lips against hers. The fluttering she felt earlier at the rally returned in her heart, but this time she understood what it meant. Stepping on her tiptoes, she reached up to kiss him again, wrapping her arms around his neck as they melted into one.

In the shadows, two figures watched the new lovers, pleased with what they saw.


	3. Sacred Fires

A single delicate cherry blossom fluttered in the air and landed on a head of raven black tresses. Takara reached up and plucked the petal from her hair, smiling as she cradled it in the palm of her hand. How she loved it when the cherry blossoms bloomed! This was always her favorite time of year.

She sighed with a mixture of both pleasure and regret, finally allowing the petal to fly on the gentle breeze. It was time to get back to work. She'd been standing underneath the beautiful sakura tree in the courtyard for the past fifteen minutes with a rake in her left hand, completely ignoring her chores. "I guess he couldn't come today," Takara said to her only companions, a large black crow and her two smaller children, who were perched in a row on one of the branches of the tree. The mother cawed lightly, flapping her wings around in anger.

Takara giggled, wagging her finger at the bird. "Now, Discord, you know as well as I do that it's not his fault. Keitaro is a very busy man, especially now that he's graduated from college and has become Negishi-sama's full-time assistant. He's pursuing his dream, and we should be happy for him." She pursed her lips into a tiny pout. "Although I do wish I could see him more often. Maybe I'll go over to his and Minoru-san's apartment tonight and cook them dinner. They would like that, wouldn't they?"

Discord nodded her head in agreement, almost as if the crow understood everything she was saying to her. Perhaps she did. Ever since the day the bird arrived at the shrine, they had shared a special bond. In fact, didn't she come just a few days before Minoru brought Keitaro to visit the shrine? Maybe that's why they were so close.

Suddenly, two large hands covered Takara's eyes, and she gasped. "Are you talking to those birds again?" a male voice asked in amusement.

She turned around, finding herself looking the gaze of the handsome Hino Keitaro. Her face broke into a huge grin, although she tried her best to look angry. She didn't succeed. "Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not," she replied with a huff. "You'll just have to ask them yourself."

"Okay, I will." He looked up at Takara's three avian friends, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand. "Discord-san, Phobos-san, and Deimos-san, was Takara talking to you about how disappointed and angry she was that I hadn't shown up when I said I would?"

All three birds nodded their heads in unison, answering his question. Takara made a face at the crows for betraying her secret while Keitaro laughed at the sight they must make, talking to a trio of flying pests like they were actual people. He knew that a little over two months ago he would have never even thought of doing such a thing, but Takara's influence changed all that. Sometimes Keitaro even found himself talking to Minoru's pet goldfish, though if asked, he would never dare to admit it.

Talking to animals wasn't the only noticeable change in his behavior either. Since that day at the beach, Keitaro's whole outlook on life had changed. There was a time not so long ago when he thought that politics was his entire life. Now, he knew that there was more to living than just elections, press conferences, and meetings. He laughed. He smiled. He even relaxed on his days off. Keitaro hadn't felt this way in a long time. Not since his uncle died…

A slender finger playfully poked his chest. "So, why are you late?" Takara asked. "I've been waiting for over fifteen minutes."

"I'm sorry, Takara," he apologized. "Negishi-sama's meeting ran late, and I wasn't able to take my lunch break. In fact, I'm afraid I have to leave in a couple of minutes. He only gave me thirty minutes to run a couple of errands."

Her face fell. "You have to leave so soon? But you just got here."

"I know," Keitaro said, reaching up to caress her cheek. "But I'll make it up to you. Why don't we go see a movie tonight? Didn't you say you were dying to see the one starring that idol…? What's his name? Ono Masaharu-san?"

"Ono Masanori-san," she corrected, smiling at Keitaro's wrinkled nose. He wasn't a very big fan of pop idols. "And that sounds like a wonderful idea. There's a show starting at seven o'clock at the nearby theater. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, I'll pick you up around six-thirty." His eyes shifted around the vicinity before he gave her a chaste peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Takara."

"Bye!"

Leaning on the rake in her hand, Takara watched Keitaro disappear out the torii, a soft smile on her face. She couldn't wait for tonight. It had been over a week since their last date. Keitaro was always so busy, so it was difficult for them to find time to be together, but she didn't mind. Too much.

Behind her, someone cleared his throat and said her name. She quickly turned around. "Oh, otou-san!" she exclaimed, a little embarrassed at being caught not doing her chores. "I…uh…I was just taking a break. I'll get right back to work."

Her father laughed as she attacked the ground with her rake. "That's not necessary, Takara," he declared, holding up his hand. "In fact, maybe you should just leave the raking to me. You shouldn't be doing manual labor after this morning's attack. You need your rest."

Slightly annoyed, Takara stopped the raking and looked up at her father. She rested one of her hands on her hip. "I told you that it wasn't that serious. I'm fully capable of completing my chores."

"I know you are, however, you would make your old father a lot less worried if you went back inside and took a nap. Today's attack might not have been serious, but that doesn't mean that the next one won't."

"Yes, otou-san." sje said with a small smile, reluctantly handing her rake over to him and kissing him lightly on the cheek. Though she felt absolutely fine, sometimes it was best to humor her father. Besides, if it got her out of her chores, who was she to complain? "I'll go take a nap if it will make you feel better."

"Good. I'll see you at dinner." He began raking as Takara walked back toward the shrine, humming a happy little tune. When she reached the porch, her father glanced up again, remembering why he came outside in the first place. "Oh, Takara, tonight we will be having guests, so please dress for dinner."

Hearing that piece of news, Takara turned around, hoping she had misheard her father's words. "Tonight?" she asked. "But Keitaro and I already made plans to go to the movies."

"I suppose you will have to cancel then. The Mizuki family is one of the shrine's most generous patrons, and they specifically asked for you to be in attendance."

"Me?" Takara wondered why their guests would want to meet her. She was nothing but a lowly shrine maiden. "But why?"

Her father shifted his eyes back to the grass. "I don't know," he quickly replied. "Just cancel your date for tonight."

Takara sighed heavily before going inside. "Yes, otou-san."

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When Keitaro arrived back at Govenor Negishi's office, he found the place buzzing with activity. It was an election year, so they were busier than usual, scheduling interviews, talking campaign strategy, and conducting polls of registered voters. Usually he thrived on such excitement, but for once, he couldn't wait for the day to be over.

Walking over to his desk, Keitaro frowned at the stack of papers in his tray, which had mysteriously doubled during his brief absence. He would have to work hard if he expected to leave at a reasonable hour and make it on time for his date with Takara, but that was no problem. A little hard work never killed anybody, least of all, him.

He took a seat in his chair and started shifting through his work, pulling out the speech for an upcoming fundraiser to proofread. No sense in wasting valuable time. Yet, the red pen in his hand remained unused, his attention caught by the photograph of Takara sitting on the corner of his desk. Keitaro wondered what she was doing right now. He did feel bad that they weren't able to talk more earlier. It wasn't very fair to her, but they would have plenty of time tonight to be together.

His thoughts were broken by the ringing of his telephone. Keitaro quickly grabbed the receiver, accidentally knocking the cold cup of coffee left over from this morning off the edge of his desk. A pool of black liquid formed on the expensive white carpet and spread out, causing the normally cool-headed assistant to swear under his breath. Whose brilliant idea was it to do the office in white?

"Bad day. huh?" a familiar female voice asked on the phone as Keitaro grabbed a roll of paper towels to clean up the mess.

His mood suddenly brightened, and he sighed with relief. "Oh, hello, Takara," he said, glad that it was her and not someone from the party. Cussing out the head of the Liberal Democratic Party would not be a good way to begin his political career. "I'm sorry. I just spilled some coffee on the carpet. I didn't mean to use such language."

"That's okay."

"It's nice that you called. I was just thinking about you," he admitted, finally managing to soak up most of the mess. The rest would just have to be covered up with his trash can for now. "I'm looking forward to tonight. We're going to have a great time."

There was a short silence before Takara spoke again. Keitaro didn't like the sound of that pause. It was the same pause he used whenever he had to break a date with her because he had too much work to do at the office.

"Actually, that's why I called," she said disappointedly. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel. My father just informed me that we are having guests for dinner, and I have to be there. Sorry, Keitaro."

"That's okay, Takara. I understand. Maybe some other time."

"Yes, some other time. I have to now, okay? Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Keitaro hung up the phone, disappointed. So, this must be how she felt every time he had to cancel. It wasn't a good feeling, but he understood. At least now he would have plenty of time to get his work done…

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eyes of amethyst stared at her reflection in the mirror as Takara unenthusiastically brushed her long, black hair and pulled it back with a pretty hairclip at the nape of her neck. She was not looking forward to tonight's dinner with the Mizuki family.

Her father wasn't telling her something. Takara could sense it, and she had a feeling that whatever it was, she was not going to like. But what could it be? Why did such wealthy patrons want to meet her? It just didn't make any sense.

"Why do I feel like everything is about to change?" she asked herself, smoothing out the wrinkles in her beautiful kimono. It was her favorite, made of purple silk and embellished with white embroidery.

Hearing her father call for her a few minutes later, Takara took one last look at herself in the mirror and headed to the main living quarters. Her was busy setting the low table in the center of the room when she entered, not even looking up when she slid open one of the paper doors. Without a word, sje began helping him.

"Oh, Takara, don't you look pretty tonight," he said, finally noticing her presence in the room. He smiled, tenderly touching her cheek. "So very much like your mother."

"Thank you, otou-san," she replied softly, a becoming pink flush crawling across her face.

"The Mizukis will be pleased."

At the mention of their guests, Takara frowned, still in the dark as to why they wanted to meet her. She was only a simple Shinto miko, after all. Setting down the last tea bowl, she decided to ask her father again why the Mizukis were coming.

"Why do they want to meet me, otou-san?"

Again, her father refused to meet her questioning gaze. Instead, he focused his attention back on the table, making sure everything was set just right, and gave Takara another vague answer. She shook her head in mild exasperation, but before she could ask again, there was a knock at the door. Takara offered to answer the door, allowing her father to let out a small sigh of relief.

"Good evening," Takara said politely, greeting their guests at the door. She bowed and showed them in, impressed with how well dressed they were.

The Mizukis were a small family, consisting of an elegant woman, a stern-looking man, and their son, who appeared to be just around her age, or maybe a year or two older. The boy was not classically handsome, but he did have very pretty blue eyes, and he seemed nice enough. He gave Takara a nervous smile as he entered the room, which she returned, not wanting to seem rude.

"Welcome," Saburo greeted them, bowing. "We're very glad you were able to come, Mizuki-san."

"Yes," Mr. Mizuki nodded, looking around the small room with an expression of distaste on his face. Around him hung an air of arrogance, as if he thought he was too good to step into such a humble abode. Takara immediately disliked him.

His wife wasn't much better. Takara could feel the woman's ice blue eyes staring at her, judging her like she was some contestant in a beauty contest. She suddenly felt ashamed of what she wore, knowing her kimono paled in comparison to the gorgeous and expensive robe of pure white silk and colorful thread which Mrs. Mizuki wore so regally.

"I presume this is your daughter, Kondo-sama?" the woman asked, her eyes never leaving Takara.

"Yes, this is my daughter, Takara," Saburo replied, introducing her to the patrons. "And Takara, I'd like you to meet Mizuki Toru-san, his wife Kameko-san, and their son Hisoka-san."

"It's very nice to meet you," Takara said, although it really wasn't. She knew it wasn't right to judge their guests after only knowing them for such a short time, but she couldn't help herself. She didn't like them, and she got the feeling that, except for young Hisoka, who was wearing a silly grin on his face until his mother shot him a nasty look, they didn't approve of her.

Actually, Takara felt sorry for the boy. He seemed genuinely nice, despite his parents' influence. He was painfully shy, however. It wasn't until they sat down at the table that he spoke, and only then it was to thank Takara when she poured his tea.

After she finished serving everyone, Takara kneeled down on the floor beside her father, still aware that Mrs. Mizuki was staring at her with those cold eyes. It was becoming quite unnerving, to say the least. It was as if she was just waiting for her to make some sort of mistake. A little intimidated, Takara straightened her posture, determined to show the woman that she was just as classy and dignified as she was.

"Ita da ki masu."

Dinner was as uncomfortable as when the Mizukis first arrived, though her father tried his best to be friendly and polite. For the most part, it was Saburo and Mrs. Mizuki who dominated the conversation, mostly exchanging information about their children and families. Mr. Mizuki, sitting in the place of honor, looked bored out of his mind, while getting Hisoka to speak was tantamount to teaching a cat to bark. For not the first time that evening, Takara wondered why they were even here when it was obvious they had no desire to be so. This dinner seemed to be a waste of everybody's time.

"Hisoka is a pre-law major attending a prestigious university in Nagano," Mrs. Mizuki informed them, a smug look on her face. "Only the richest and the brightest are accepted to study there, and most students go on to have successful, illustrious careers after graduation. Isn't that correct, Hisoka?"

The quiet boy nodded, his eyes never leaving his plate, and her father smiled politely. "You must be very proud, Mizuki-san."

"Yes, I suppose." The woman suddenly turned her gaze back to Takara, startling the miko. "Takara-san, where do you study?"

"Well, I graduated from Juuban High School recently," she answered, regretting her words as soon as they flew from her mouth. 

A thinly plucked eyebrow rose in her direction. "High school? Is that as far as you have gone in your educational career?"

"Takara has decided to forego college at the moment in favor of helping me run the shrine," her father explained. "However, she is a very bright girl. She always brought home good marks on her assignments, and I know sometime in the future, Takara would like to continue with her studies."

"I see."

Takara let out a slow breath, silently counting to ten in her head. It was taking all her willpower not to lose her temper in front of their guests. She did not like the woman's condescending attitude at all. However, she forced a small smile on her face and turned to Mrs. Mizuki, noticing her tea bowl was almost empty.

"Mizuki-san, would you care for some more tea?" she offered. The woman nodded, allowing Takara to take her bowl and pour some more tea.

Perhaps a little nervous by the way Mrs. Mizuki watched her every movement, Takara sat the drink back down in front of her with shaking hands, a little bit of the liquid splashing onto the woman's beautiful kimono. She gasped, horrified as Mrs. Mizuki stood and tried to wipe away the tea with her napkin.

"I'm so sorry!" Takara apologized, trying to help. "Let me help."

"That's quite alright, young lady," Mrs. Mizuki snapped. "You've done enough. It's ruined."

"I'm so sorry."

Mr. Mizuki eventually managed to calm his wife down with the promise of a new kimono, but the rest of the dinner was eaten in angered silence. They didn't stay much longer, declining dessert and leaving early. Takara was grateful, although embarrassed that she ruined the entire evening.

"I'm sorry, otou-san," she said, helping him clear the table after the Mizukis left.

Her father sighed, but gave Takara a small smile. "That's okay, Takara. It was probably for the best, anyway."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of days later, Saburo watched Takara and Miyuki feed the crows from his spot on the porch, a sad smile on his tired face. His daughter looked so happy just now, as if she didn't have a care in the world. How was he going to tell her?

After the disastrous dinner with the Mizukis, Saburo never expected to hear from them again, so it was a complete surprise when he received a visit from none other than Mizuki Kameko earlier that day while Takara and Miyuki were at the store, buying groceries for dinner. As it turned out, despite Takara's mistake, they were still interested in making a deal, one Saburo was reluctant to agree to after witnessing the Mizukis' true colors. Still, he knew that they were wealthy and could give Takara the kind of care she needed.

The medical bills were piling up, and Saburo was quickly running out of money to pay them. He didn't know what else to do. Takara needed her medication, and, of course, there was always the possibility of finally needing a heart transplant, but all that required money, of which the Mizukis had plenty.

If there was any other way around this, he would do it without a second thought, but there really was no other choice. Besides, Hisoka seemed like a nice enough kid (unlike his parents), and he was also Shinto, which was more than he could say about his daughter's devout Catholic boyfriend.

Not that Saburo didn't like Hino Keitaro. The few times he met the young man, he found Keitaro to be very polite and respectful. If he was Shinto or even Buddhist, Saburo would welcome him into the family with open arms. However, he was not, and that worried the priest, who was hoping to leave the shrine in the care of his son-in-law upon his death.

After the girls finished feeding the birds, Miyuki decided to go home, leaving Takara to sweep the porch by herself. She seemed surprised to find her father standing by the entrance of the shrine as she grabbed a broom.

"Otou-san, isn't it time for your evening meditation?" Takara asked, looking out at the beautiful sunset. Saburo always prayed to the sacred fire before dinner.

He nodded, taking the straw broom from his daughter's hands. His face was solemn and serious as he motioned her to stay. "We need to talk, Takara."

"What is it?"

At first, Saburo was silent, unsure of how to bring up the subject. He let out a long breath, praying to the gods to give him the right words to say. Takara touched his arm, asking him again what they needed to talk about.

"What was your opinion of Mizuki Hisoka-san?" he finally asked.

Takara shrugged her slender shoulders. "Hisoka-kun seemed nice, if a little shy. He didn't really say much at dinner, so it wouldn't be fair to judge him, but I liked him. Why do you want to know?"

"He's asked for your hand in marriage."

Purple eyes widened in shock. "What?" Takara asked in a surprised whisper. "But we barely know each other."

"That's not uncommon in arranged marriages. Your mother and I didn't meet until about a month before our wedding."

"An arranged marriage?" Takara closed her eyes tightly, as if hoping that when she opened them again, it would all just be a horrible dream. It didn't work. "Otou-san, please tell me you didn't agree to this."

"It was for your own good, Takara."

"You did?" she exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't believe you agreed, even after what happened at the dinner. How could you do something like that?"

This was not going as well as Saburo had hoped. He reached for her hand, but his daughter stepped away, shaking her head. "Please, try to understand. The Mizukis are wealthy, and they can provide you with the kind of life I could never give you. I know Toru-san and Kameko-san were unpleasant, but Hisoka-san is a nice, polite Shinto boy who I know will treat you right."

"But what about Keitaro?"

"Keitaro-san is a fine young man, but -"

"But what?" she asked when Saburo didn't immediately finish his sentence. "Is it because he's Catholic?"

He didn't have to answer. The minute the words were out of her mouth, Takara knew it was true. He had always wanted her to marry a Shinto so that her husband could help her with the shrine after he died.

"Takara, that's not the only reason why."

"But it is a big part, isn't it?"

Saburo sighed. "Yes, I would like you to marry a Shinto, but let me explain -"

"I don't want to hear it, otou-san," she said, the tears now freely flowing down her face. "I thought you always taught me to look at the person, not their race or religion, but here you are, doing the exact thing you taught me was wrong. I can't forgive you."

"Takara…"

Without waiting to hear what Saburo had to say, Takara ran off, her body shaking with sobs. The priest could only watch her leave, whispering her name as the heavens began to cry.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the living room of the apartment he shared with Minoru, Keitaro looked out the window, watching the pouring rain and the fantastic display of lightning which streaked across the dark sky. The storm had come up unexpectedly, ruining what was, for the most part, a beautiful spring day.

"I guess the weatherman was wrong," Keitaro said, closing the curtains on the dreary scene outside and turning back around to find his best friend lounging on the couch, channel surfing. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the remote from Minoru's hand, turning off the television set.

"Hey, why did you do that?" Minoru asked, sitting up. "I was watching TV."

The more serious of the two took a seat in his favorite leather armchair and pulled out a thick file he brought home from the office. "I'm trying to work here, Minoru-kun," Keitaro replied, hiding the remote between the cushions. He then raised an eyebrow toward the redhead. "Something that maybe you should think about doing sometime, instead of staying here all day, watching TV and playing video games."

"Yeah, yeah… I told you I'm working on it, man. Not all of us were lucky to be offered a job right after graduation, you know. It's a competitive world out there, and I wasn't exactly an honor graduate like you were."

Keitaro laughed. That was the understatement of the year. He still didn't know how Minoru managed to pass his ethics class when he showed up an hour late for his final, still a little tipsy from the party he attended the night before. "And whose fault was that?"

"Kinomoto-sensei's," Minoru answered matter-of-factly, provoking a doubtful look from Keitaro. "What? He's the one who almost failed me."

"Minoru-kun…"

"Alright, it was partly mine too, I suppose," he admitted. "I probably shouldn't have gone to Momohara-san's party when I should have been here, studying with you, but that's all in the past. Luckily, I managed to do well enough on the exam to squeak by with a passing mark. I guess those good luck charms we bought at Hikawa really did work, huh?"

Trust Minoru to think that barely passing his exam was a good thing. Keitaro shook his head in exasperation and turned his attention back to his work while Minoru started looking through the classifieds section of the newspaper, occasionally circling a phone number. The men worked in relative silence, barring the occasional roar of thunder, until Minoru heard a soft knock on the door.

He looked up from the paper he was reading, folding it in half. "Were you expecting anyone, Keitaro-kun?"

"Huh?" Keitaro asked, so absorbed in his work he hadn't heard the knock. "No, I'm not expecting company. Why do you ask?"

Another knock, this time louder than before, answered his question. Minoru shrugged his shoulders and went to answer the door, wondering who would be crazy enough to come out in this storm. It was probably just one of the neighbors, wanting to borrow a cup of sugar or a flashlight in case the electricity went out.

Minoru opened the door, surprised instead to find a young woman standing in the hall, completely soaked to the bone. She was shaking, and it appeared she had been crying, her violet eyes bloodshot. "Takara-san?" he asked. "What are you doing here? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, rubbing her freezing arms in a desperate attempt to warm herself. The red and white robes of her miko attire clung to her body, dripping with rainwater. "I need to talk to Keitaro. Is he home?"

"Yes, of course. Come inside."

He stepped aside, allowing Takara to enter the apartment. Keitaro, who had been concentrating on his work, put his papers away and jumped up from his chair. His eyes widened, never having seen his eternally optimistic girlfriend look so upset. "Takara…"

She threw herself in his arms, her body erupting into sobs. Not knowing what to make of it, Keitaro simply held her close, ignoring the fact that his clothes were becoming as soaked as her robes. He looked over at Minoru, silently asking for some privacy.

"Um…I'll go get some towels from the bathroom," Minoru said, getting the message.

Once Minoru disappeared down the hall, Keitaro gently sat Takara down on the couch, pulling out a handkerchief to dry her eyes. She had calmed down somewhat, though tears were still running down her pale cheeks. Taking her clenched hand, he lightly squeezed her fingers in comfort.

"Takara, what is it?" Keitaro finally asked, lifting her chin. "Did something happen to you?"

Her soft pink lips quivered as she opened her mouth, but no words came out. Keitaro urged her to take a couple of deep breaths, helping her to find her voice again.

"O-Otou-san… H-He arranged a marriage for me," Takara stuttered, her voice slightly cracking. "I just learned about it today."

"What? An arranged marriage? To who?"

"His name is Mizuki Hisoka-san, and his parents are wealthy patrons of the shrine. They were the ones we had dinner with a couple of nights ago," she answered, wiping her nose with the handkerchief. "I just can't believe otou-san would do something like this…"

Takara started crying again, falling into his arms. Again, Keitaro held her close, rocking her back and forth. "It will be okay, Takara. I'm sure if you just go back to the shrine and talk with your father, he will change his mind. All he wants is what's best for you. Explain to him -"

"No, you don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "What otou-san thinks is best for me is to marry a Shinto. He doesn't care what I want."

"What?" Keitaro suddenly stopped rocking Takara. He helped her sit back up and sighed, pained by the hopeless look in her eyes. "You mean this is all because I'm Catholic? Is that the reason your father wants you to marry Mizuki-san?"

Slowly, she nodded. "That's the only reason that makes any sense, Keitaro. Otou-san always wanted me to marry a priest, or at least someone who followed our religion. He thinks I'm not strong enough to take care of the shrine after he dies, so he wants me to marry someone who can. I used to not mind, because I just always assumed I would, but then I met you…"

Her voice trailed off as Minoru walked back into the living room. In one arm, he carried a stack of fluffy towels. In the other, there was a pair of jeans and an old, faded rock T-shirt, along with a belt. Minoru sat the clothes on the back of the couch and handed a couple of the towels to Takara and Keitaro.

"I'm sorry, Takara-san, but I'm afraid these were the best I could find," Minoru said. "They're probably too big, but you can use the belt to hold up the jeans."

"I'm sure they will be fine, Minoru-san," she replied, reaching for the jeans and T-shirt. "Thank you."

"You can change in the bathroom down the hall, and feel free to take a warm bath. The water's already drawn. Hang your robes on the back of the door, and I'll take them down to the dryer later."

Wiping away the last of her tears with the handkerchief, Takara went to the bathroom to change, thanking them once again for their kindness. After she left, Minoru sat down beside his friend, giving him a concerned look. Though he hadn't meant to eavesdrop, he couldn't help overhearing their conversation. "What are you going to do, Keitaro-kun?" he asked. "You aren't going to let her marry the guy, are you?

"I don't know, Minoru-kun." Keitaro sighed and buried his face in his hands. "I just don't know."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saburo paced across the hardboard floor, for the hundredth time looking down at his watch. It was nearing nine o'clock. Where in the world was she? Why hadn't she come home? This wasn't like Takara.

He never should have let her run off after their argument earlier that evening. He had assumed that she was going to Miyuki's house like she usually did on the very rare occasions they fought and that she would come home a couple of hours later when she had calmed down. However, when he called the Asaka household, Takara wasn't there, and Miyuki said she hadn't seen her since she left the shrine right before he told his daughter about the arranged marriage. Saburo had no idea where else she could have gone, and it was driving him insane with worry, especially in this storm.

What if Takara experienced another attack? It wasn't unusual for her to have one when she was upset, which she undoubtedly was right now. Saburo cursed his stupidity. Why did he ever agree to the arranged marriage with Mizuki Hisoka? He would hate himself forever if something happened to his daughter and he knew he was to blame. If only she would come home! He would give anything to see those violet eyes, so much like her mother's, once more.

"Please, Takara… Come home."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Takara took a deep breath before she stepped out of the bathroom, still feeling a little breathless and dizzy from her latest attack while she was in the bath. It was one of her more serious spells, but she didn't want Keitaro or Minoru to worry. She was sure it was nothing, just a side effect of all the running and crying she had done earlier.

The boys looked up when she entered the living room, slowly shuffling over to the couch and taking a seat beside Keitaro. Her boyfriend reached for her hand, concerned. "Takara, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Keitaro," she lied, putting on a brave smile. "Just another one of my dizzy spells. It's nothing."

He didn't look very convinced. Keitaro had yet to learn the real extent of her illness, though Takara suspected he knew it was more serious than she made it out to be. She just didn't want him treating her like a porcelain doll as Miyuki and her father were known to do.

Minoru, most likely sensing that they would want some more privacy, offered to go down to the laundry room to dry Takara's clothes. He gathered the robes from the bathroom and quietly slipped out of the apartment. Once he was gone, she scooted over closer to Keitaro, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you're fine?" he asked again. "You look a little pale."

"I told you it was nothing," she insisted, maybe in a rougher voice than she originally intended. She sighed, looking up at Keitaro. "Sorry. I guess I'm still upset about what happened earlier."

Keitaro lightly kissed the top of her hair, holding her closer. "That's okay. I should have believed you earlier. It's just that sometimes I worry about you. I don't want lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either, Keitaro."

The two of them sat in silence, listening to the soft rain that was still pouring down outside. The worst of the storm had already passed, though they could hear faint rumbles of far away thunder every once in a while. Takara considered calling her father, knowing he was probably worried about her, especially on a night like tonight. However, she also knew that he would insist she come back to the shrine if she called, and she wasn't sure she was ready to do that.

A tear ran down her cheek. She didn't know what to do. Takara loved her father, but how could she ever forgive him? How could she ever go through with the wedding to Hisoka when it was Keitaro she really wanted?

She loved Keitaro. There was no doubt in her mind that she did. They hadn't known each other for long, but Takara knew what she felt in her heart from the very first time he kissed her. It was love, pure and simple.

Taking his hand, Takara weaved her fingers with those of her lover. His hand was warm and comforting, as if it had been sitting in front of an open fire. She brought it to her lips, kissing one of his knuckles, and sighed.

"What are we going to do?"

Keitaro pressed his lips together, pulling out the silver crucifix which hung around his neck from underneath his shirt. It had been a graduation gift from his uncle, and he religiously wore everyday, just as Takara wore the ruby pendant she received from her late mother. However, the crucifix suddenly felt cold and heavy in his hand, a symbol of the cross he bore.

While Takara was in the bathroom, Keitaro had done some serious thinking, trying to come up with some way to convince Saburo to change his mind about the arranged marriage. If the only reason why the priest wanted to marry his daughter off was the fact that he was Catholic, then…

Keitaro wrapped his hand tightly around the small cross, taking a deep breath. "I will learn the way of the Shinto," he declared softly. "Your father can teach me, and then when he dies -"

Takara placed a slender finger against his lips, shaking her head. "I cannot ask you to give up your religion. Catholicism is part of who you are, as the way of the gods is part of me."

"But Kondo-sama wants someone who can take care of Hikawa. If that is what it takes to keep us together, I'm willing to do it."

"I'm not, Keitaro," Takara said, kissing his cheek. "Thank you for offering, but I can't let you do that. Besides, being a priest isn't your dream. You must continue with your plan to become a politician and make you and your uncle's most cherished dream come true."

Keitaro let go of the crucifix and took Takara's other hand, pulling her so that they were sitting face to face. "But we have to do something," he said. "I meant what I said before. I don't want to lose you. Once in my life, I lost someone I loved dearly, causing me to shun away any and all relationships in fear of losing them as well. Even my friendship with Minoru-kun, my best friend since grade school, suffered, though somehow it managed to persevere." He paused, reaching up to caress her cheek. "But you changed all that, Takara. I'm happier than I've been in a long, long time, and it is all because of you. I'm not about let you go, too."

He leaned forward for a kiss, taking Takara by surprise. Keitaro was usually very reserved when it came to showing his affection. Except for that first kiss on the beach, he rarely went any further than chaste pecks on the cheek and hand holding, and even then, only when they were alone. Still, Takara didn't resist as he pulled her closer, letting the passion take them over.

"I love, Takara," Keitaro whispered once they finally parted. The words just came out of his mouth without thought or reason, but surprisingly, he didn't regret them.

Takara smiled, wiping away a tear of happiness that ran down her cheek. "I love you, too, Keitaro."

"Then marry me."

Her eyes widened in shock, and even Keitaro looked surprised by what he just said. The thought of marriage had never even crossed his mind before tonight. After all, they had only known each other for a couple of months, but the more he thought about it, the better the idea seemed. He loved her, so why shouldn't he make Takara his wife?

"But otou-san…" she stuttered, still grappling to understand the sudden proposal.

"We'll elope," Keitaro said, a thousand thoughts and emotions flying around in his head. He kneeled down on both his knees in front of Takara, taking both her hands. "We can do it tonight, even. There's a small church just down the street, and I know Father Finley-sama will be happy to marry us."

Takara shook her head. "This is insane, Keitaro. It's not like you to be so impulsive. I love you, but we've only known each other for such a short time. We can't get married! The idea is ridiculous."

"Why?" he pressed. "I love you, and you love me. Isn't that enough?" She didn't answer at first, dropping her gaze to their clasped hands. Keitaro let go of his grasp and reached up to touch her cheek, staring into her deep purple eyes. "Isn't that enough?" he repeated. "Will you marry me, Takara?"

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Takara smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Let's get married."

Feeling a rush of exhilaration flow through his veins, Keitaro stood up with his fiancée still hanging from his neck and began spinning around, both the lovers laughing in jubilation. They were getting married!

Finally, they collapsed back on the couch, Takara bursting into another gale of giddy laughter as Keitaro tickled her stomach. She'd never seen him so happy or playful. However, her giggles immediately ceased when she felt another attack coming on, worse than the one she experienced earlier. Her heart was beating wildly, and the world seemed be spinning around her at an alarming speed. Takara shut her eyes tight, praying it would go away soon. Not tonight. Not on her wedding night.

"Takara, what happened?" Keitaro asked, holding her close. "Something's wrong, isn't it? Tell me. I want to know the truth."

She shook her head. Not tonight.

"Just hold me, Keitaro. Hold me and never let me go…"

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At the Asaka household, Miyuki was preparing to go to bed when she heard the telephone ringing in the living room. She was tempted not to answer it, suspecting it was Kondo Saburo calling once again, asking if Takara had contacted her, which she hadn't. He'd been calling every half hour since dinnertime, and every time it broke her heart to inform Saburo that Takara hadn't called. Still, she pulled on a robe and went downstairs, hoping it was good news. It wasn't like she was going to be able to sleep anyway, knowing her best friend ran away and nobody knew where to find her.

"Hello," she answered, picking up the phone. "Asaka residence."

"Miyuki-chan, it's me."

Miyuki let out a relieved sigh, glad to hear Takara's voice on the other end. She was okay! "Takara-chan, where have you been?" she asked. "Your father is worried sick about you, and so was I. You had us scared half to death."

"Sorry. I'm fine, really. I'm at Keitaro's and Minoru-san's apartment."

"Keitaro-san's apartment?" She frowned, glancing up at the grandfather clock across the room. The hour had just struck eleven o'clock. "At this hour? What are you doing there? It's not appropriate for a girl to be visiting her boyfriend's apartment so late at night. People are going to talk."

"He's not my boyfriend, Miyuki-chan. He's my fiancé."

Miyuki sat down on the couch, not sure if she heard her friend correctly. Did Takara just say that she and Keitaro were getting married?

"I know it seems sudden, but I know this is the right thing to do," Takara continued when Miyuki didn't say anything. "I love Keitaro, and I want to be with him. We're eloping tonight."

At that piece of news, Miyuki finally found her voice again. "What? Have the both of you completely lost your minds? You can't elope! What about Kondo-sama?"

"Otou-san doesn't understand. I know he meant well by arranging the marriage to Mizuki Hisoka-kun, but that's not the kind of life I want. That's the life he wants for me. He wants me to marry a Shinto and stay at the shrine, so my husband can take over the shrine after he's gone. You know how much I love Hikawa, but the life of a priestess is not what I want anymore. I want to be with Keitaro, no matter what."

Pursing her lips together, Miyuki began absent-mindedly twirling thephone cord around her finger, trying to think of something to say that would make Takara change her mind. Eloping was a bad idea. As much as she liked Hino Keitaro, there were certain things about their relationship that worried Miyuki at times, such as the major difference in their religions and Keitaro's notorious workaholic nature, both which could cause problems in the future. Neither one of them was thinking this whole thing through. They were being impulsive and making a rash decision which would affect them for the rest of their lives.

"I know you are very fond of Keitaro-san, but don't you think you should think about this a little more before you run off and get married?" Miyuki asked. "This is a huge decision, and it's not something you should take lightly. Have you even thought about how your life will change after you marry? And what about your condition? Will Keitaro-san be able to provide for your care?

"He doesn't know about my heart problems yet," she admitted softly.

"He doesn't know?" The more she heard, the more Miyuki disliked the whole idea. "Oh, Takara-chan, how could you not tell him? He needs to know."

"I will, eventually, when the time is right. Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Financially, Keitaro is more than capable of taking care of my medical bills. He comes from a very established political family. Money is no problem."

"It's not really the money that worries me. It's Keitaro-san's hectic schedule. Can he properly take care of you when he spends most of his time at the office?"

"Everything will be fine," Takara repeated. "Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

"But, Takara-chan..."

Takara interrupted her before she could finish her thought. "I love him, Miyuki-chan. Will you please support me?"

She sighed, knowing that her arguments were falling on deaf ears. When Takara wanted something, there was no way to change her mind. She could be as stubborn as a mule when she wanted to be. "Are you sure about this, Takara-chan?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then I'm happy for you," Miyuki said. "When is the wedding?"

"Midnight, at St. Mary's Catholic Church," Takara answered after a brief pause to ask Keitaro the information. "You are going to be there, aren't you?"

"Of course I will. I wouldn't miss your wedding day for the world," she replied, forcing herself to sound enthusiastic.

"Thanks, Miyuki-chan. You're a true friend. See you later."

Miyuki hung up the phone, biting her bottom lip in worry. She hoped Takara and Keitaro knew what they were doing.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Minoru came back upstairs with Takara's dried robes, he was surprised to find the miko talking on the phone and Keitaro walking in and out of his bedroom, gathering various files and books from the shelf in the living room. Nobody even seemed to hear him come in. What was going on?

Minoru set Takara's robes on the back of the couch, not wanting to disturb her while she was on the telephone, and walked over to Keitaro's opened bedroom door. Inside, he found the normally tidy room looking as if a tornado had passed through it. Clothes were thrown all over the place, drawers were carelessly flung open, and even Keitaro's desk was covered with papers. As for Keitaro, he was busy going through his folders, selecting certain files and placing them in the open briefcase on his bed.

He didn't look up from his task as Minoru quietly stepped inside the room, stepping over an already packed suitcase. After waiting a few seconds for Keitaro to turn around and realize he was there, Minoru loudly cleared his throat, finally getting his friend's attention.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Keitaro briefly glanced up before returning to his work. "What does it look like I'm doing, Minoru-kun?" he asked. "I'm packing."

"Packing? For what?"

Instead of answering, Keitaro walked back out into the living room to grab a couple of more books from the shelves. Minoru sighed in exasperation and followed him out, still wanting to know what was going on.

"Will you hold these for me?" Keitaro asked, handing Minoru some books. He grunted, struggling to balance the stack of thick tomes, including Keitaro's Bible in his arms. "Thanks."

"Keitaro-kun, what is this all about?" Minoru asked again, finally managing to get his load under control. "Why are you packing?"

"We're leaving," he replied simply, not elaborating anymore. Keitaro relieved his friend of some of his burden and headed back to the bedroom, leaving Minoru standing in the middle of the room, again sighing.

Why wouldn't anybody tell him anything? This was starting to get ridiculous. Minoru went back to the bedroom and tossed the books on the bed, determined to get an answer out of Keitaro, no matter what.

Surprised, he looked up. "What is it, Minoru-kun?" he asked. "Why are you following me around? Can't you see I'm busy?"

Green eyes rolled. "Oh, I don't know… Maybe because my roommate and best friend has suddenly decided to move out and he won't tell me why?"

"Look, if you're worried about the rent, it's not a problem. I'll pay my share until you find another roommate," he promised. "Now, if you will excuse me, there are still some things I need to pack from the living room."

"Oh, no you don't!" Minoru quickly blocked the door with his body, denying Keitaro entry to the other room. "You are not leaving this room until you tell me where you're going and why."

"Minoru-kun, we really don't have time for this."

"Really? Why not? What is so freaking important that you can't even spare one minute of your time to tell me what in the world is going on around here?"

Keitaro opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Takara popping her head in the bedroom. She still held the telephone in her hand. "Keitaro, when did you say you wanted to start the wedding ceremony?" the miko asked.

"Midnight, at St. Mary's."

"Thanks."

Minoru could only stare at his friend in shock as Takara went back to the living room to continue her conversation. Did he just hear what he thought he just heard? "You're getting married?"

Grinning, Keitaro lightly pushed Minoru out of the way of the door so he could finally get to the living room. "Does that answer your question?" he asked on his way out.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The door to the shrine's living quarters quietly slid open as Takara slipped inside, careful not to startle her father. Her father was sleeping on a futon bed in the center of the room, no doubt waiting for her return. Takara paused for a moment, wiping away a tear. She hated to do this to him.

"Otou-san…" she whispered.

The old man stirred, muttering something in his sleep. Takara quickly stepped into the shadows, relieved when he settled back down and began lightly snoring. That was a close call.

When she was sure he was fast asleep, she tiptoed to her bedroom, lighting only a single lamp as not to draw attention to her presence. Takara then pulled out a small suitcase and began packing some clothes and a few treasured possessions. A photo album, the blanket her mother made her, her favorite book… It wasn't very much, though to her, they could have been the Crown Jewels of England. She couldn't leave them behind.

After she finished zipping up the suitcase. Takara took one last look around the room, her eyes landing on a box covered with an old tablecloth. It was the hope chest her mother had kept for her. She'd almost forgotten about it. Her mother had always said that she would give it to her on her wedding day. Though there was no way Takara would be able to drag the large box out of the shrine without waking her father, maybe she could take a couple of the items with her.

Lifting the tablecloth off the wooden chest, Takara unfastened the locks and looked inside, a layer of dust flying in the air. She coughed loudly, for a moment forgetting that she was supposed to be quiet. Fortunately, her father didn't hear.

Inside the chest, Takara found several old framed photographs, including her parents' wedding picture, a diary belonging to her mother, a couple of pieces of modest jewelry, and a pair of gold candlesticks. She packed most of the items in her suitcase, leaving behind the candlesticks and a few of the pictures which wouldn't fit. Those she put back in the chest, for the first time noticing that there was something else laying at the bottom of the box.

Curious, Takara lifted up the silky fabric, surprised to see it was a gorgeous kimono made of dark red silk and intricately embroidered with golden thread. She had never seen anything so beautiful. It was like something the empress would wear, even putting the kimono Mrs. Mizuki wore the night of the dinner to shame.

Holding the kimono to her body, Takara smiled. It was perfect! Perhaps it was tradition for a Christian bride to wear white on her wedding day, but Takara saw no reason why she couldn't wear red if she wanted. After all, her mother had probably saved the kimono for such an occasion.

She quickly changed into the kimono and pulled her long raven hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. A pair of red jade hoop earrings and matching bangle bracelets, which she had also found in the chest, completed the look.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Takara gasped, surprised at how much like her mother she appeared. She and the woman in the wedding photograph could have been twins. The same dark hair, the same eyes Takara knew were violet instead of the gray they appeared in the old picture, the same slender frame…

"Okaa-san…" she whispered, reaching out her hand to touch the smooth surface of the mirror as if she expected her reflection to be real. "It's my wedding day. I wish you were here."

The sound of a clock chiming interrupted her short fantasy. Takara glanced over to the alarm sitting on her nightstand. It was 11:30. She needed to hurry. Keitaro was waiting for her outside in his car.

Takara quickly finished putting away her mother's treasures and turned off the lamp, fumbling in the darkness to reach the sliding door. The suitcase in her hand felt heavy, and for a moment, she was doubtful she would be able to carry it by herself. Still, she managed to quietly drag it out of her room, once again pausing when she came upon the sleeping form of her father.

She considered not leaving the letter she had hastily written before she and Keitaro left the apartment, right after she called Miyuki. It didn't seem like an adequate way to say goodbye. There was so much more she wanted to tell him that could not be expressed in a short half-page note, like even though she couldn't forgive him for what he had done, she still loved him with all her heart and that she was sorry it had to be this way. But still, Takara took out the folded piece of stationary and kneeled beside the futon, placing the letter by his pillow where he would be sure to find it in the morning.

Just as she was about to leave, her father's dark eyes slowly opened, and the old priest groaned. Takara froze in her spot, not knowing what else to do. He was looking straight at her, but he was smiling.

"Noriko…"

Noriko. That was her mother's name. He must have been confused by the fact that Takara was wearing her mother's kimono and jewelry. He whispered his late wife's name once again before he fell back asleep, and Takara let out a quiet sigh.

Without thinking, she reached up to unclasp the gold chain holding the ruby pendant her mother had given her and placed it on top of the letter. Her father needed it more than she did. Takara then lightly kissed his forehead before she grabbed her suitcase and silently slipped out of the shrine and out of her old life forever.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Keitaro and Takara finally arrived at the church about ten minutes after midnight, they found Minoru and Miyuki already there, waiting in front of the altar with an elderly priest. The looks on their faces plainly revealed their feelings about the wedding. While Minoru wore a grin about a mile wide on his face, Miyuki was a lot less enthusiastic. She nibbled on her thumbnail, pacing until she spotted the lovebirds enter through the stain-glassed doors.

"Takara-chan!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing throughout the small chapel. "Where have you been? I thought you said the ceremony was to begin at midnight."

"Sorry, Miyuki-chan," the bride apologized, giving her best friend a hug while Keitaro went to speak to the priest. "We went back to Hikawa so I could pack a couple of things, and I guess it took longer than I thought."

"You went back the shrine? Does that mean your father...?"

Takara shook her head. "He doesn't know yet. Otou-san was sleeping when I snuck in, so I left a letter explaining everything. But you'll take care of him when I leave, won't you, Miyuki-chan?"

"Leave?" Miyuki's eyes widened as she pulled Takara down to sit in the front pew. "What are you talking about? You can't possibly mean you're actually 'leaving.' I mean, I know you and Keitaro-san are going to want to get your own place, but that doesn't mean you can't visit Hikawa whenever you want…"

Takara sighed, looking down at the hand Miyuki was gripping so tightly, it brought tears to her eyes. "Keitaro wants us to move into his uncle's house out in the country. From what he's told me, it's about an hour drive away from Hikawa, but it's supposed to be very beautiful, the perfect place for newlyweds to start their new lives together. We're leaving right after the ceremony. That's why I went back to the shrine to get my things."

"You're leaving Tokyo?" Miyuki asked in disbelief. She jumped up from her seat, resuming her pacing. The more she heard, the less she liked the entire affair. "Are you sure that is what you really want, Takara-chan? It seems like you're giving an awful lot up just to be with Keitaro-san. I know you love him, but can you honestly say this is what you expected your wedding day to be like? What happened to the beautiful Shinto ceremony performed by your father? You and I have been planning our dream weddings ever since second grade, and I have to say that getting married in a Catholic church in the middle of the night with nobody here was not part of the plan. Maybe you should give this more thought before you make the biggest mistake of your life."

"It's not a mistake," Takara insisted, standing up so that she stood face to face with her best friend. Her voice began out calm, gradually building as she tried to explain her feelings to Miyuki. "Yes, this isn't exactly how I pictured my wedding day, and maybe we are rushing things, but I don't care. The important thing is I love Keitaro, and I want to marry him, regardless of who performs the ceremony. In the end, does it really matter if I get married in a church or in a shrine? I just want to be with him. Can't you understand that? Can't you just support my decision?"

Miyuki wiped her watery eyes and pulled a tearful Takara in a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. If this is what you really want, then I'm happy for you. Really I am."

"Thank you, Miyuki-chan."

After a few moments of crying on each other's shoulders, Miyuki forced out a laugh and reached into her purse, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the bride's tear-stained cheek. "Look at us, blubbering like a couple of babies. This is your wedding day, the happiest day of your life! We should be smiling, not crying."

Takara grinned, giving her friend another hug. "It's your fault, Miyuki-chan," she teased, sniffling. "You started it. But I am going to miss you."

"I am, too," Miyuki replied, feeling another round of tears coming on. "So, so much…"

"Are you two girls going to cry the entire time?" a familiar male voice asked, walking up behind the two. "You do know that this is a wedding and not a funeral. You can cut out the waterworks."

Takara and Miyuki glanced up, the latter shooting Minoru a dirty look as she struggled to get control of her emotions. "It's Takara's wedding, and we'll cry if we want to," she retorted, though she finally let go of her friend and wiped away the last remaining tears.

Minoru simply rolled his eyes. He would never understand why women became so emotional over the silliest things. It must be just one of those mysteries of life. "Well, if you two are finished, Father Finley-sama and Keitaro-kun are ready to begin the ceremony," he informed them.

"Thank you, Minoru-san," Takara replied, straightening her kimono and taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves. "I guess I'm ready as well. How do I look?"

A sad smile crossed Miyuki's face as she kissed Takara's cheek.

"Beautiful, Takara-chan. Absolutely beautiful."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Takara walked over and stopped beside him in front of the altar, Keitaro instinctively reached for her trembling hand, squeezing her fingers in comfort. Though she tried not to show it, he knew she was nervous. He was nervous too. Eloping in the middle of the night with a woman he met less than three months ago was by far the most impulsive thing he'd ever done in his entire life. But, somehow, it felt right.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked one more time, holding his breath until Takara nodded her head and smiled.

"More than anything in the world," she answered.

Minoru and Miyuki, acting as best man and maid-of-honor, took their places on either side of the couple, the blonde biting down on her lip to hold back her tears while Minoru continued smiling in encouragement, although Keitaro could have sworn he saw the beginning of a tear forming in the corner of his goofy best friend's eye. However, with a blink of an eye, it was gone, and Minoru was instead giving him the thumbs up as the priest began the short ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to join Hino Keitaro-san and Kondo Takara-san in holy matrimony," Father Finley began, accenting his Japanese with his thick Irish brogue. "Keitaro-san, wilt thou take Takara-san for thy lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I will," Keitaro answered without pause.

"And Takara-san, wilt thou take Keitaro-san for your lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

Takara snuck a glance at her handsome groom and took a deep breath before she finally whispered "I will" as well, much to Keitaro's relief. The priest then asked for the ring, generously provided by Miyuki when it was discovered that in all the rush of preparing for the hasty wedding, they had forgotten to buy one. Father Finley sprinkled it with holy water and recited a prayer of blessing before handing the ring to the groom.

Keitaro slid the simple ruby ring on Takara's finger, his voice slightly shaking as he said, "With this ring I thee wed, and promise thee my fidelity."

"May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob be with you, and may He bless you greatly in every way; that you may see your children's children unto the third and fourth generation, and thereafter enjoy without end the blessed life of heaven, with the help of Jesus Christ our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth God through all eternity. With the power invested by me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

His heart filled with a joy he thought he would never feel again, Keitaro lifted Takara's chin and kissed her lightly on the lips to the music of Minoru's frat boy cheers and Miyuki's quiet sobs. "I love you, Takara," he whispered when they parted.

"I-I-I…" Takara stuttered, squeezing her eyes shut as she suddenly clutched her breast.

Beside her, Miyuki gasped. "Takara-chan!" she screamed.

After that, everything was a blur.


	4. Smoke

Sitting on a leather couch in the spacious living room, Hino Takara stared at the phone, silently willing it to ring. She'd been waiting all afternoon for the doctor to call, hoping for good news. So far, he hadn't.

"Is this thing working?" she asked herself aloud, picking up the receiver and holding it to her ear. The clear sound of a dial tone greeted her, meaning that the telephone was in order. So, why hadn't Dr. Honda called with the results of her test? The wait was driving her crazy.

Hanging up the phone in case someone was trying to call, Takara jumped up from the couch and began pacing in front of the fireplace, occasionally glancing over at the telephone. The maid, a matronly older lady who had worked at the manor for over thirty years, entered the living room a few minutes later, surprised to find her mistress so jittery.

"Hino-sama, is something wrong?" Yukana Aki asked. "You seem anxious. Perhaps you would like me to prepare a kettle of chamomile tea to calm your nerves."

Takara paused in front of one of the large windows and shook her head. "No, thank you, Yukana-san. I'm fine," she said, a soft smile on her face as she lightly placed a hand on her flat stomach. "In fact, I'm better than fine. I'm just waiting for Honda-sensei to agree with me."

Mrs. Yukana's pale blue eyes widened as the meaning behind Takara's words and motions became clear. "Are you…?"

Takara's smile broadened. "I hope so."

"How wonderful, dear," the maid exclaimed, giving Takara a hug. Mrs. Yukana had a tendency to act more like an adoring grandmother than a servant at times, but Takara didn't mind. "My Keitaro-chan will be so pleased. It's about time this old house was filled with the pitter-patter of little feet. I always thought it was such a shame that the late Hino-sama never married and had children, though he truly did love your husband as if he were his son. I wish you could have known him. He would have loved you."

"I think I should have loved him as well," Takara said sadly, her eyes resting on the portrait of her husband's uncle which hung over the fireplace.

It wasn't until Keitaro brought her home to the manor after her stay at the hospital right after the wedding that she learned exactly why he and his uncle had been so close. She'd often wondered why Keitaro never spoke of his parents, but she didn't dare to ask him, figuring if he wanted her to know, he would tell her himself. However, her curiosity finally got the best of her one day while she was complying with her doctor-ordered bed rest and she decided to ask Mrs. Yukana about it. The housekeeper had known Keitaro practically his entire life and even now continued to call him her "Keitaro-chan", despite the fact he had just turned twenty-five years old and was an elected official. It embarrassed him to no end, but Takara thought it was absolutely adorable.

From what Mrs. Yukana told her that afternoon, Takara could understand why Keitaro acted the way he did sometimes. He had not had an easy childhood. Keitaro never knew his mother, who died during childbirth, and his father had supposedly been a very cold man, ignoring his only son who he blamed for his wife's death. Only his father's brother showed him any kindness, finally taking Keitaro in after Mr. Hino's death when he was only six years old. In a way, he really was Keitaro's father. Even though he was often busy with work, he always made an effort to be there for Keitaro, and for that, Takara was grateful. She only hoped that Keitaro would be just as wonderful as a father.

Interrupted from her thoughts by the ringing of the telephone, Takara turned toward coffee table where the phone sat, frozen in place. She'd been waiting for the call for hours, but now that it had come, she was scared to hear what the doctor had to say. She wanted this child so badly. It would be devastating to learn she wasn't pregnant.

"I'll get that, Hino-sama," Mrs. Yukana said.

Takara shook her head and slowly walked over to the phone, picking it up on the tenth ring. She had to do this herself. "Hello," she said after taking a deep breath. "Hino residence."

"Hino Takara-san? This is Dr. Honda with the results of your pregnancy test."

His deep bass voice did not sound happy. Trying to prepare herself for bad news, Takara sat back down on the couch, nervously twirling the telephone cord around her pointer finger while Mrs. Yukana looked on anxiously. "What did the test say, Honda-sensei?"

"You are indeed pregnant, Hino-san," he finally said, bringing a smile to the expectant mother's face. Takara could feel the tension from the last few hours melt away at the wonderful news.

"Thank you, doctor."

Dr. Honda sighed. "But, as I told you this morning, I have reservations about you continuing this pregnancy given your medical history. There are very serious risks involved, and I still stand by my professional opinion that the pregnancy should be terminated in order to avoid life-threatening complications. Of course, the decision ultimately rests with you and your husband, but I suggest you consider the option."

"We will," Takara replied, though she really had no intention of doing so. She knew what she wanted, and she wanted this child, no matter what the risks might be. "Thank you again, Honda-sensei. I'll see you at my next appointment. Goodbye."

Hanging up the phone, Takara fell back on the couch and sighed blissfully, hugging a small throw pillow to her chest. She was going to have a baby, and she couldn't be happier.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Keitaro arrived home from the office a couple of hours later, he was surprised to find that Takara was not waiting for him at the front door like she usually was to welcome him home. He took off his coat and slipped on his favorite pair of slippers, then entered the living room, looking for his wife.

"Takara? I'm home."

The only person in the living room was his maid and former nanny, Mrs. Yukana, who was dusting some crystal while humming softly to herself. He recognized the tune as an old lullaby she used to sing to him before he went to bed, though he had long forgotten the words.

"Yukana-san?"

The petite woman quickly turned around, seemingly shocked to see him standing behind the couch. However, Mrs. Yukana quickly regained her bearings, greeting him with a smile. "Welcome back, my Keitaro-chan. You're home early today."

"Yes, my last meeting with the governor was canceled this evening, so I decided to leave and finish the rest of my work at home," he explained as he glanced toward the entry way of the living room, expecting his wife to join them when she heard the two of them talking. Keitaro frowned, somewhat worried when she didn't. "Where is Takara? In our room? She didn't have another attack today, did she?"

The maid shook her head, smiling mysteriously. "Hino-sama is fine. She asked me to inform you to join her in the dining room when you arrived home."

"The dining room?"

"Yes, Hino-sama has a surprise for you," Mrs. Yukana said, shooing him toward the hall. "Now go before I end up spilling the beans. I probably shouldn't have even said that much. Go, go, go!"

"Okay, I'm going, I'm going," he said with a chuckle. She always was somewhat of a nut, even when he was a little boy.

Walking toward the dining room at the end of the hall, Keitaro wondered what the surprise could be. He really didn't have a clue. It wasn't his birthday or anything, so why was Takara giving him something?

As he neared the closed door, the faint sound of a stereo could be heard, playing one of his favorite violin concertos. The beautiful music only served to confuse him more. Keitaro tried to open the door, but found it was locked.

"Takara, are you in there?" he asked, knocking lightly on the door. "It's me. Yukana-san told me I could find you here."

"I'll be there in a second," her sweet voice called out. "I just have to do one more thing, and then you can come in."

A few moments later, the door slowly opened, and Takara stepped out, wearing a rather low cut black cocktail dress that was a far cry from her normally demure apparel. Her long black hair was pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck, and she wore the beautiful pearl stud earrings he had given her for her birthday last year. Keitaro drew in a sharp breath. "Takara?" he breathed.

She blushed faintly, wrapping her slender arms around his neck and lightly brushing her lips against his. Keitaro, still surprised, pulled away from her embrace. She'd never acted like this before.

Takara lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry, Keitaro. You don't like my dress, do you?"

"No, you look beautiful," he assured her, bringing a small smile back to her face. "I'm just surprised, that's all. Besides, we really shouldn't be doing this out here. Let's go in the dining room."

Taking her hand, Keitaro led his wife into the room, stopping in his tracks as he took in the scene around him. The lights were turned off, but the room was illuminated with the soft glow of about two dozen candles placed randomly around the room, giving him just enough visibility to see the small table already set for dinner. The scent of freshly made food tickled his nose, and Keitaro could feel his mouth water, despite the fact that he had just gone out for a late lunch three hours ago. A bouquet of red roses placed in a crystal vase sat in the center of the beautifully decorated table and complimented the romantic atmosphere.

"What's this?" he asked. "It isn't our anniversary or anything like that, is it?"

Takara, coming up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder. "I wanted to do something nice for you, Keitaro," she whispered in his ear. "This is going to be a special night. Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's a wonderful surprise, Takara," he answered, smiling as he turned his head to kiss her on the cheek. "Thank you."

"This isn't the real surprise."

"It isn't? Then, what is it?"

"I'll give it to you later," she teased. "First, let's eat."

Takara let go of her grip around Keitaro and led him toward the table, where they each took a seat across from one another and began eating. The dinner consisted of some of his favorites: steak, corn, and rice covered with teriyaki sauce. Thankfully, though, he recognized Mrs. Yukana's delicious cooking. As much as he loved his wife, Takara was no genius in the kitchen.

Taking a drink of his wine, Keitaro noticed for the first time that Takara was drinking green tea. While there was nothing obviously unusual about that, considering Takara was not a big drinker, she did occasionally like to drink a glass of wine during special occasions. He wondered why she wasn't having one tonight.

"Takara, are you sure you don't want some wine?" he asked, pouring himself another glass. "It's a very good year. At least have a sip."

Talara's sface flushed red as she lowered her eyes and concentrated on cutting her steak into tiny square pieces. "Thank you, but the tea is fine for me tonight," she insisted. Before he could ask anymore questions, Takara decided to change the subject. "You came home early today. I thought you were suppose to have an important meeting with Governor Negishi-sama today."

"It was canceled because Negishi-sama wasn't feeling very well. He has a bad case of the flu, and his doctors want him to get some rest."

"Oh, that's too bad. We should send him flowers tomorrow to cheer him up."

Keitaro sighed. "I'm worried about him. He's not as healthy as he used to be. Negishi-sama told me that he doesn't even plan to run for reelection next year. He wants me to run instead, if I can get the LDP's nomination."

"Are you going to run? It sounds like a wonderful opportunity."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure yet," he answered. "I wanted to hear your opinion before I made a final decision on the matter. You do know that if I were to win the election, it would mean I would have to spend even more time away from you. We barely see each other as it is, and I'm only a member of the Assembly. I wouldn't want what happened between Negishi-sama and his first wife to happen to us if I were to become the governor of Tokyo."

"Keitaro, I want you to run," Takara insisted without pause, just as he knew she would. She was always his biggest supporter. "I know it will be difficult, but I also know that is what you always wanted. I can't stand in the way of your dreams. We'll survive, I promise."

Looking into her eyes, Keitaro could almost believe what she said was true. He really was lucky to have found someone who was so understanding of his career. However, he couldn't shake the guilt he felt in his heart every time he thought about how this decision might affect Takara. It wasn't very fair to her. She tried to be supportive, but he knew she didn't like the long hours he worked. And if he were to win the election…

"Let's not talk about this tonight," he said, setting his fork down on his empty plate. There was no need to ruin such a nice evening with talk about politics. "We'll discuss it some other time. How about you give me that surprise you were talking about earlier?"

"Umm…okay," Takara replied, though she didn't get up from her chair. Instead, she took a deep breath before she reached across the table to take his hands. Her face was serious, but her eyes sparkled in the candlelight with excitement. "Keitaro, there's something I need to tell you, but before I do, I just want you to know that this is something I have wanted for a very long time, and I hope you want it, too. Yes, there are some risks involved. I am well aware of that, but they are risks I'm more than willing to take. Do you understand?"

"Risks?" Keitaro looked at his wife in concern. He did not like where this was heading. "What risks? What is it, Takara?"

Her face broke into a huge smile. "I'm pregnant, Keitaro," she finally said after a short pause. "We're having a baby! Isn't that wonderful news?"

 _A baby?_ At first, Keitaro thought he misheard her words. There had to be some sort of mistake. How could she be pregnant? They were always so careful, knowing that pregnancy could put a huge strain on her already weak heart. How could this have happened?

"Keitaro, say something," Takara pleaded, when he still hadn't reacted to the news.

Keitaro pulled his hands away from hers. "What do you want me to say, Takara?" he asked, the slightest touch of anger in his voice. "You can't honestly expect me to be happy about this. Your doctors warned us that a pregnancy could be dangerous. How could you have let this happen? I thought you were on the Pill."

Tears filled her eyes as Takara guiltily looked away. "I stopped about four months ago," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled not to cry. "I know I should have told you, but I knew you wouldn't agree."

"You mean to tell me you intentionally got pregnant?"

Takara nodded as Keitaro tried desperately to control his temper. He couldn't believe it. Not only was Takara pregnant, putting her life in danger, she had actually planned the entire thing without telling him. If he had known, he never would allowed her to go through with it. What was she thinking?

Feeling the sudden urge for something a bit stronger than the half-drunk glass of wine still sitting on the table, Keitaro jumped from his seat, intending to leave. He couldn't talk to her right now, not when he was still so angry. However, Takara grabbed his arm before he left the table, looking up at him with tears running down her face. For a moment, his eyes softened, though they became as cold as stone in a blink of an eye.

"Keitaro, try to understand," she begged. "I want this child, more than anything in the world. Can't you see that?"

"All I see is you risking your life for a child conceived in deception," Keitaro said coolly, yanking his arm away from her grasp and walking toward the door. "I'm going out. Don't bother waiting up for me."

"Keitaro…"

Takara started to go after him, but the look he gave her stopped her in her tracks. Instead, she just watched as he walked out, slamming the door behind him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miyuki stood from the couch, stretching as she stifled a yawn. Her favorite television program had just gone off the air, so she turned the TV off with the remote, glancing at the clock. It was just a little after nine.

 _Maybe I'll go to bed early tonight_ , she thought to herself. It had been a very tiring day of classes, and she could use the rest. Luckily, tomorrow was Saturday, and she didn't have any classes or homework, so she could sleep in if she wanted. The thought brought a small smile to her face.

Turning off the lamp by the couch, Miyuki headed up the stairs to her bedroom, for once grateful she decided to attend Tokyo University and live at home, rather than go to Osaka and live at one of those noisy apartment buildings as she originally had planned. The house was completely quiet. Her younger brother was sleeping over at a friend's house, and her parents had gone out to dinner to celebrate their wedding anniversary. She didn't expect them to return home for at least another hour or two, so she had the place to herself.

Halfway up the stairs, the phone in the living room started to ring. Miyuki groaned. She was tempted not to answer it, thinking it was probably just the ten-year-old boy down the street who had a habit of calling the house right before she went to bed with a prank call. However, she remembered her parents said they might call if they thought they would be later than expected, so she stumbled back down the stairs in the darkness, fumbling to find the light switch by the staircase.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she mumbled to the impatient telephone, hoping, for his sake, it wasn't that little joker. Nice Miyuki was not in the mood for it tonight, not when the fluffy bed upstairs was calling her name.

She finally picked up the phone on the sixth or seventh ring. "Hello, Asaka residence."

"Miyuki?" a familiar female voice answered, sounding as if she was struggling to hold back tears. "I'm so glad you're home. It's me."

Miyuki sat back down on the couch, forgetting all about how tired she was. "Takara, what's wrong?" she asked. "Are you crying? Did something happen?"

"Keitaro… I don't know where… He's so angry…"

Takara's broken sentences made little sense, and by now, it was obvious she was crying. What had happened? Miyuki tried to calm her down. "It's going to be okay," she assured Takara, speaking in a soft, soothing voice. "Take a deep breath and relax. You're going to have an attack if you don't calm down."

On the other end, Miyuki heard Takara comply with her orders, breathing in and out until she was able to speak again. "Thanks, Miyuki. I'm okay."

"Good," Miyuki said, relieved. "Now, tell me what happened between you and Keitaro. Did you have a fight? What was it about?"

"I told him we were having a baby."

"A baby?" she repeated, a small smile dancing on her lips at the news. "That's wonderful. Congratulations!"

"Keitaro doesn't think so," the mother-to-be said sadly. "I don't think he wants the baby. When I told him, he got upset and left the house. I don't know where he is, and he hasn't come back yet. I'm getting worried…"

Miyuki could hear Takara start to cry again, making her want to find Keitaro himself and strangle him for what he was doing to his own wife. How could he be so cruel to the woman who was carrying his child? This wasn't like him at all. But she fought against her homicidal thoughts, knowing it wouldn't help, and tried to comfort her best friend.

"Takara, I'm sure Keitaro-san's fine," she assured Takara. "He'll probably come home soon, once he realizes what an idiot he's being. Meanwhile, you should try to get some rest. You and the baby need sleep."

"Yes, okaa-san," Takara teased. Even though she couldn't see Takara, Miyuki imagined her friend was smiling through her tears, probably rolling her violet eyes for good measure. "I'll try, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep much tonight until Keitaro comes home."

"He'll come home soon. I'm sure he will."

"I hope so." There was a short pause on the other end, as if Takara were debating something in her mind. "Miyuki, will you do me a favor?" she finally asked.

"Of course I will. What is it?"

"Will you tell otou-san about the baby?"

She was surprised by her friend's request. While it was true that Kondo Saburo cut all ties with his daughter after learning of her marriage to Keitaro, Miyuki felt that the priest should learn the news he was going to be grandfather from his own daughter. A baby might be just the thing to end the bitterness between them. "Are you sure you want me to tell him, Takara? Maybe this is something he should hear from you."

"No, it's better you tell him," she insisted. "I can't. It would just be too hard to see him after all these years."

"I understand. I'll visit Hikawa tomorrow and tell him the news," Miyuki promised. "Now try to get some sleep. I'm sure Keitaro-san will come back soon. Good night, and take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will. 'Night, Miyuki., and thanks."

Setting the receiver back in its cradle, Miyuki sighed. She hated this. She wished Takara and Keitaro didn't live so far away from her house. When they were younger, Miyuki could just walk to Hikawa whenever Takara needed her, but since she married and moved away, that wasn't possible anymore. She missed that.

But perhaps there was something she could do. Grabbing her little black book off the table, Miyuki turned to the "U" page and picked up the phone. She paused for a moment, however, unsure if she wanted to call him. Knowing Uchizawa Minoru, he probably would misinterpret her plea for help as yet another chance to prove his undying love for her. The two of them had gone on a few dates about a year ago, thanks to Takara's well-intentioned efforts to play matchmaker, and even though Miyuki could only feel nothing but deep friendship toward the flirtatious playboy, she knew Minoru still harbored the same schoolboy crush on her he developed the day he first visited Hikawa. It was rather pathetic, in a sweet, romantic kind of way…

Miyuki smiled, dialing his number.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reaching into his pocket, Minoru suavely pulled out the keys to his apartment and attempted to unlock his door, never taking his eyes off the pretty blonde beside him. They had just gotten back after a wonderful dinner at _Umi's_ , and he hoped that if he played his cards right, the date wouldn't have to end so soon. Apparently, though, he wasn't coordinated enough to do the task without looking. His date giggled as he missed the keyhole and dropped the keys on the floor, provoking him to curse under his breath.

"I'll get that, sweetie," Koneko said, using a deep, seductive voice.

She bent down to retrieve the slippery keys and unlocked the door for him, managing to give him a soft kiss on the lips while doing so. She then turned the doorknob, opening the apartment. Minoru tumbled backwards inside, forgetting he'd been leaning against the door, but Koneko managed to grab his arm just before he lost his balance and pulled him back in the hallway, giggling once again.

"Somebody's a little clumsy tonight," the blonde teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. She playfully kissed his nose, leaving a faint mark of blood red lipstick right on the very tip. "It's very adorable, you know."

Minoru grinned, pulling her closer so he could whisper in her ear. "Come inside, and I'll show you just how 'clumsy' I can be."

"Oh, Minoru-chan, you are just too cute!"

Taking her hand, he lead her inside the apartment, where Koneko immediately pushed him down on the couch and got on top of him, much like a lioness attacking her prey. While Minoru wasn't accustomed to his dates being so forceful, he had to admit he didn't exactly mind as Koneko began kissing his ready lips. Soon, they were entangled in each others arms, oblivious to everything around them until they were interrupted by the unwelcome ring of the telephone.

"Are you going to get that?" Koneko asked breathlessly, taking a break from their passion play.

"Nah, I'll let the machine get it," he answered, anxious to get back to the task at hand. "It's probably just some telemarketer wanting to sell me something. Nothing important."

Minoru pulled her closer and began trailing butterfly kisses down Koneko's neck, only vaguely listening as he heard the answering machine pick up and play his pre-recorded message. However, he immediately stopped what he was doing when a familiar voice began leaving a message after the beep. Koneko started to protest, but he silenced her by bringing a finger to her lips, wanting to hear.

"Minoru-san, it's me, Miyuki. If you're there, will you please pick up the phone? This is important. I really need your help…"

Koneko raised an eyebrow, looking none too happy to hear a female voice coming from the machine. "Miyuki-san? Who is she? Another girlfriend?"

"Ah, she's nobody important…" Minoru replied nervously, sitting up to reach for the telephone on the table behind the couch. Talk about bad timing.

"Then don't answer it," she purred, licking his ear as she seductively placed her hand on his knee. "Let's keep playing, Minoru-chan…"

"This will only take a minute, sweetie."

Koneko's lips curled into a tiny pout, but he ignored it as he brought the receiver to his ear, wondering why Asaka Miyuki, of all people, would be calling him so late at night.

"Hey, Miyuki-san, what's up?" he asked, running a hand through his messy red hair. "I hope this is important. I'm...er...kind of in the middle of something at the moment."

"I'm sure she won't mind if I steal you away for a while," Miyuki said, knowing him all too well.

Minoru rolled his eyes. "I don't know about that. Koneko-san and I were just about to…uh, have some fun."

"Koneko-san?" his former girlfriend, and still only love, snorted. "As in a 'kitten'? What kind of name is that?"

"A very lovely name. Now, if all you plan to do is lecture me about my love life once again, then I am going to say good night. I'll talk to you later, Miyuki-san."

"No, don't hang up, Minoru-san," she pleaded, her voice heard even as he started to put down the receiver. "I really do need your help."

Despite Koneko's adorable puppy dog face, urging him to do just that, Minoru brought the phone back to his ear, sighing. He didn't know what it was, but he never could say "no" to the beautiful blonde who had captured his heart, even if she still refused to give him the light of day. It was like she had some kind of spell over him. "Okay, what is it?"

"Takara just called me a few minutes ago, upset because Keitaro-san apparently got mad and stormed out of the house. He didn't tell her where he was going, and he hasn't come back yet either. Takara's really worried."

"Keitaro just left?" Minoru asked, furrowing his brow. "That doesn't sound like him. What happened?"

"Takara told him she was having a baby."

"But that's wonderful news! I don't see why Keitaro would be upset about that."

"I don't know either," Miyuki replied. "All I know is that your best friend is being a major asshole, while Takara is crying her poor little heart out at the manor."

"Well, what do you want me to do?" he asked. "Keitaro's not at my apartment, if that's what you want to ask. I haven't seen him since we went out to lunch."

"Um… I, uh, really hate to ask you this, but…" There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if Miyuki was debating asking him or not.

"What is it, Miyuki-san?" he prodded. Minoru already knew whatever it was she wanted him to do, he would, so there was no use dragging it out. "Just tell me."

"Well, I was hoping that maybe you could go search for Keitaro-san and talk some sense into him," she finally said. "I'm sorry. I know it's a bad time, with you and Koneko-san about to…uh, have fun, but you know Keitaro-san better than anybody. Please find him and tell him to go home to Takara. She needs him."

Minoru glanced over at Koneko, who was busy nibbling at his other ear while undoing his tie. He really hated having to cut their date short, but he knew what he had to do. Keitaro was his best friend, and thus, it was his unofficial duty to tell Keitaro when he was being, as Miyuki so elegantly stated, an asshole. "Okay, I'll go look for him," Minoru said, letting out a sigh. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try my best."

"Thank you, Minoru-san. I appreciate it."

The two of them said goodbye, then Minoru placed the phone back in its cradle, wondering how he was going to explain the situation to Koneko. The sexy blonde was already busy unbuttoning the buttons of his dress shirt, ready to resume where they'd left off before Miyuki's call. If she kept it up, Minoru feared he would never be able to leave. Eventually, though, he managed to pull her nimble fingers away from his buttons and chastely kiss the back of her hand.

A look of confusion passed across Koneko's pretty face. "Don't you want to?" she asked, lightly caressing his cheek.

"Of course I do," he answered, briefly losing his focus as Koneko kissed him again. Why did this have to be so difficult? Remembering what he needed to do, however, Minoru reluctantly pulled away from her embrace and started buttoning his shirt. "But we can't, not tonight. Something's come up, and I have to leave."

Huffing, she crossed her arms over her bountiful chest. "You're going to see her, aren't you?" she accused. "I can't believe you, Minoru-chan! I thought you really liked me."

"I do, I do," he assured her. "You got it all wrong. Miyuki-san and I are just friends, nothing more."

"Really?"

 _Unfortunately, yes_ , he thought to himself.

"Of course, sweetie. Miyuki-san called me because one of our friends might be in trouble, and I need to go find him. You understand, right?"

Koneko sighed, her face softening. "I suppose so," she finally said. "But it really is a shame we have to cut the evening short. We were just getting to the good part."

She didn't have to remind him.

"Sorry about this," Minoru apologized, standing up and showing her to the door. "Perhaps some other time. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"I'll look forward to it."

Kissing him on the cheek, Koneko left, the sweet smell of her floral perfume lingering in the air. Minoru moaned, his eyes following her curvaceous body until the blonde entered the elevator.

He was going to kill Miyuki and Keitaro for ruining his evening.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The nighttime breeze was cool, and Keitaro shivered, pulling his thin blazer tightly around his body in an attempt to keep warm. He glanced down at his expensive Rolex watch, wondering how long he'd been walking aimlessly along the seldom used country roads, trying to sort out his feelings. According to his watch, two hours had passed, though to him, it seemed as if an eternity had gone by since Takara told him the news. Keitaro briefly considered turning around and heading back to the manor, knowing she was probably worried about him, but yet, he continued on, not quite ready to go home.

When he first left the house, it had been Keitaro's intention to find an open bar and kick back a few beers, wanting to drown his worries away, at least for a little while. He gave up on that idea, though, remembering the nearest tavern was about twenty miles away, on the outskirts of downtown Tokyo. Besides, he knew getting drunk would only be a temporary distraction from his problems, so instead, he walked, not really caring where he ended up. He just needed to be alone for a while.

As he continued to walk down the side of the road, Keitaro's thoughts wondered back to a memory from a couple of years ago, one of the darkest periods in his life. He never liked to think about what happened the night of his and Takara's elopement and the subsequent days of worrying whether she would live or die, wishing it had been just some horrible, horrible nightmare, but still, he couldn't push the memory away…

_Opening the door to Takara's private room, Keitaro paused in the doorway, alarmed to see his bride so pale and fragile. She was sleeping comfortably - at least as comfortable as she could when she was hooked up to so many machines - in her hospital bed, her eyes closed and her long, black hair tied back into a no-nonsense braid. Beside her, the heart monitor beeped regularly in time with her heartbeat, a green zigzag line running across the middle of the screen, and she was hooked up to an IV. It reminded him so much of his uncle's last days in the hospital…_

_Keitaro entered the room, placing a vase of freshly-cut red roses on the table beside Takara's bed. This was nothing like the day Uncle Wataru died. He'd spoken to her cardiologist before he came in, and Dr. Sakamoto assured him Takara would most likely be fine. Though she remained weak, the worst of it was over._

_Quietly pulling a chair up next to her bed, Keitaro took Takara's slender hand in his own. "I should have known something was wrong," he whispered after a few minutes of staring at the woman in the bed, hooked up to so many machines. He hated seeing her like this. "Why didn't you tell me, Takara? Why did I have to find out like this?"_

_His voice, though soft as a feather, woke her from her slumber. Takara slowly opened her amethyst eyes, managing a small smile on her lips as she turned toward him. "Keitaro," she managed to say weakly._

_"Takara…"_

_She glanced around the room, somewhat confused by her surroundings, especially when she noticed the IV sticking out of her arm and the heart monitor beeping beside her. "Where am I? In the hospital?"_

_"It's okay. You're fine now, but you had a heart attack," Keitaro explained, squeezing her hand lightly. "At the church."_

_"Church…" She repeated the word to herself, her eyes suddenly brightening as she struggled to hold up her hand, admiring the simple ring on her left hand. "We married, didn't we?"_

_He nodded, unable to share in her enthusiasm. Unlike her, since the attack, Keitaro had had plenty of time to think about their hasty decision to get married, and he had come to conclusion it had been a mistake. Not that he didn't love her - if it was possible, he loved her more, now than ever - but they had been impulsive in their actions. It was only a few months ago they met. They barely knew each other. Takara's secret heart problems were proof of that. Who knew what else she was hiding? And for that matter, what he was hiding? There was still so much they didn't know about each other._

_To make matters worse, Takara's father blamed him for the attack. Kondo Saburo had made that perfectly clear the second the priest laid eyes on him, waiting in the hospital waiting room for news on her condition, and Keitaro wasn't about to argue with him. This never would have happened if he and Takara weren't in such a rush to get married without thinking the decision through properly. Maybe it would be best to get an annulment, as Saburo had strongly suggested to him that morning._

_"Is something wrong?" Takara asked, her smile fading when she noticed him staring at her ring, the symbol of the commitment they made to each other._

_He began twirling the band around her finger, refusing to meet her questioning gaze, and sighed. "Do you regret what we did?" Keitaro finally managed to ask. "The whole thing was rather crazy. You were upset about the news of your arranged marriage to Mizuki-san, and I was afraid I would lose you…"_

_"You will never lose me, Keitaro," she promised. "I love you, and I want to be your wife. Forever."_

_"Are you sure?" he asked again, glancing up._

_Takara nodded, just as the door to her room opened and her cardiologist stepped inside, apologizing for the interruption. Keitaro released her hand and sat back in his chair while the doctor checked her vitals. "Glad to see you're awake, Hino-san," Dr. Sakamoto said, writing something down on his chart. "How are you feeling?"_

_It took Takara a few seconds before she realized the "Hino-san" to whom he was referring was her, but when she did, she smiled that smile that always reminded Keitaro of an angel. "A little tired, but otherwise fine," she answered, struggling unsuccessfully to sit up in her bed. "When can I go on my honeymoon, Sakamoto-sensei?"_

_The doctor chuckled. "Ah, yes, I heard the news," he said. "Congratulations on your marriage. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you will have to put honeymoon plans on hold for a bit." Dr. Sakamoto's face became serious. "While your cardiac arrest was quite mild compared to what it could have been, I want you to take it easy for the next few weeks. We'll keep you here a few more days for observation, but when you are released, I recommend complete bed rest. Also… How should I put this delicately? I would strongly advise against consummating your union until further notice. Two, three weeks at the most."_

_"That's fine, doctor," Keitaro said when he saw his blushing bride begin to live up to her title. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who failed to think that far ahead when they agreed to marry. "We're willing to wait."_

_"I know it will be difficult. You're both young, in love, and recently married, but with these kinds of attacks, there's always the risk of a repeat performance. Her heart needs rest to properly recover." Placing the chart back on its hook at the foot of the bed, Dr. Sakamoto pulled up a chair next to Keitaro. "Actually, I think this is a good time to discuss in depth your wife's condition and some of the repercussions it may have in the future."_

_"Repercussions?"_

_The doctor leaned forward in his chair, his manner serious, yet still casual. "Hino-san, I have been treating your wife since she was just a little baby. I do not know how much she has told you, but she was born with a weak heart, evident since infancy. Most patients with this condition do not live past adolescence without a transplant, but with the proper medications and care, we have managed to avoid that drastic measure so far in this case. However, that doesn't mean a transplant won't be an option in the future, especially after the damage suffered in this attack, which has left the heart muscle significantly weakened." Dr. Sakamoto paused for a moment to let the information register before continuing. "Because of this, I would advise against any unnecessary stress on the heart, such as in the case of pregnancy or -"_

_"I can't get pregnant?" Takara, who for most of his lecture on her condition had been admiring her roses, came to life at the news, interrupting the doctor's sentence._

_The doctor nodded, his face apologetic._

_"I'm sorry, Hino-san, but it is my professional opinion that a pregnancy in your condition would be the same as signing your own death sentence."_

Dr. Sakamoto's last words echoed in his mind as the vision faded back into his memory. _Her death sentence._

"Why would she do something like this?" Keitaro asked aloud, abruptly stopping in the middle of the street and digging his cold hands into his pockets. "Why?"

Nobody answered, as he expected. Sighing, he resumed his brisk walk, his heart heavy with fear.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Turning on the radio to his favorite station, Minoru started humming along to the music while he tapped his steering wheel in time to the beat.

He had been looking for Keitaro for the past hour, with little luck, and the boredom was starting to get to him. There wasn't much around to keep his interest along the rarely traveled roads except for trees, grass, and the occasional house or two, including his old childhood home which he passed about fifteen minutes ago. It was no wonder why he couldn't wait to move to the city proper.

"Come on, Keitaro, where are you?" he mumbled, stifling a yawn. "Geez, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Coming to an intersection, Minoru arbitrarily decided to turn left, his headlights momentarily passing over the figure of a man leaning against a tree. Looking up, the man shielded his eyes from the bright light, and Minoru suddenly braked, recognizing his face. He put the car in Park and opened his door, not believing his good luck.

"Keitaro!" he shouted, grabbing a flashlight and jumping out of the car.

At first, the man didn't seem to recognize him, though he took a few steps forward at the sound of his name. Minoru turned on the flashlight and held it under his face so the other man could see who he was. The man's gray eyes widened.

"Minoru? What are you doing here?" Keitaro asked.

"I think I should be asking you the same thing," Minoru said, walking over to join his friend by the tree. "Miyuki-san sent me to search for you. She said you and Takara-san had a fight about the baby."

"You know?"

Minoru nodded, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Why are you so upset about this, Keitaro?" he asked. "Your wife just told you she's having a baby. This should be one of the happiest days of your life."

Shrugging Minoru's hand away, Keitaro leaned back against the tree trunk and sighed. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Why not? I don't understand. Why don't you want this baby?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it," Keitaro repeated roughly, banging his clenched fist against the bark. He then turned his face away, looking toward the full moon in the sky. "Sorry, Minoru. I didn't mean to sound so rude. Just leave me alone, okay? I'll be fine. Go home. I'm sure you have better things to than keep me company."

Minoru, never one to abandon his friend when it was obvious something was bothering him, walked over to the other side of Keitaro, shining the flashlight directly in his face. Keitaro tried to turn away once again, but it was too late. What Minoru saw surprised him. In the light, Keitaro's face was pale and drawn, and if Minoru did not know his friend so well, he would say that Keitaro looked close to tears. "What wrong, Keitaro?" he asked. "And don't you dare try to tell me it's nothing. Tell me what's going on."

"I'm afraid, okay?" Keitaro finally admitted after a few moments of defiant silence. "Are you happy now?"

"Afraid of what? Of being a bad father?"

"Of losing Takara. Her doctors warned her that a pregnancy could be life-threatening in her condition, but she didn't listen. She got pregnant anyway, and now I don't know what to do or think or feel. I can't lose her, Minoru."

Minoru's mouth formed into a small "o" shape, finally understanding. Suddenly, everything made sense. Keitaro had almost lost Takara once before on the night of their wedding, and it was one of the worse nights he'd ever experienced. Minoru could still remember his friend's haunted eyes as he and Miyuki stayed with Keitaro in the hospital, waiting for word on Takara's condition. It was understandable that Keitaro didn't want to go through that nightmare once again, but Takara was a strong woman. Minoru knew she would make it through this pregnancy.

"You're not going to lose her," he assured him. "Takara-san will make it through this, Keitaro."

Keitaro shook his head. "You don't know that."

"And you don't know she'll die," Minoru immediately shot back in response.

The two men stared at each other, neither saying a word. That was one of the major differences between them. While Minoru always saw the proverbial glass as being half-full, Keitaro's was always half-empty. Even when they were little kids, Keitaro was always the pessimist, and he, the optimist. Apparently, some things never changed.

Finally, Minoru sighed, giving up their staring contest. He ran a hand through his windblown hair and looked down at his watch. Though it was dark, he could just barely make out the time. It was after midnight.

"Look, Keitaro, let me drive you back to the manor," he offered. "It's getting late, and Takara-san is probably worried sick about you."

Reluctantly, Keitaro followed Minoru to his red convertible. They got in, and Minoru pulled out his keys, placing them in the ignition. However, before Minoru started the car, he glanced over at Keitaro, finding him looking blankly out the passenger side window with the same haunted look in his eyes he remembered from the hospital. It broke his heart.

"Everything's going to be okay, Keitaro," he insisted. "You can't keep living your life in fear of losing the ones you love. If you do, you will miss out on some of life's most wonderful experiences. Think about that, okay?"

Keitaro nodded as Minoru revved the engine and put the car in drive.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Takara pulled back the heavy velvet drapes, looking down from the second floor bedroom at the driveway for what must have been the hundredth time that evening. Each time, she prayed she would see Keitaro's shadowed figure walking up to the house, and each time, she was disappointed. This time was no exception.

Pulling her robe closer around her body, she bit her lip, growing more worried with every minute that passed by. He'd been gone for so long. What if something had happened to him? What if he'd been mugged or hit by one of those reckless teenage drivers who often liked to speed down the country roads late at night? Or what if…?

Takara shook her head, forcing herself not to think such morbid thoughts. Playing the "what if" game never helped anything. She was sure Keitaro was okay. But why wouldn't he come home? Or at least call so she would know where he was?

"Keitaro, where are you?" she whispered to herself.

Mrs. Yukana entered the room a few minutes later, carrying a small silver tray of cookies and a glass of warm milk. The maid set the midnight snack down on the nightstand, then walked over to the window where her mistress stood, placing her wrinkled hands on Takara's shoulders.

"Hino-sama, I brought you some warm milk to help you sleep," Mrs. Yukana said softly. "You should go to bed, dear. It's late, and you need your rest."

"Thank you, Yukana-san, but I can't sleep, knowing Keitaro still hasn't come home. He hasn't called yet, has he?"

"I'm afraid not."

Takara sighed. She didn't think so.

Mrs. Yukana handed her the glass of milk, urging her to drink the warm liquid. Takara took a few sips, not wanting to seem ungrateful, and ate one of the chewy cookies the maid offered. She then allowed the elderly woman to help her out of her robe and tuck her in bed, though she doubted she would get much sleep.

The maid brushed back a strand of hair back from Takara's face, smiling sadly. "My Keitaro-chan will come home soon, Hino-sama," Mrs. Yukana assured her. "He just has a lot on his mind. I'm sure he'll come around eventually and learn to love this baby as much as he loves you."

"I hope so, Yukana-san."

Saying goodnight, Mrs. Yukana took the tray and quietly slipped out of the bedroom, turning off the light switch before closing the door behind her. Darkness fell over the room, but no matter what Takara did, she couldn't force herself to go to sleep. She flipped over on her side, staring at the calming moonlight pouring in through a crack between the drapes. The moon was so beautiful tonight.

"Keitaro…" she whispered, tasting the saltiness of her tears on her lips. "I need you."

Pulling the quilt closer to her body, Takara closed her eyes, eventually falling into a very light sleep. If she used her imagination hard enough, she could almost feel his body next to hers, his loving arms wrapped around her waist, and his warm breath on her neck. It seemed so real, as if Keitaro was right there…

"Takara."

Her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the very little light illuminating the room. She drew in a sharp breath, searching through the darkness in front of her for his shadow. That was Keitaro's voice, she was sure of it. But Takara couldn't see anyone there. Had it been a figment of her imagination?

Disappointed, she prepared to go back to sleep, rolling over on her other side. Only then did she realize that someone's arm was wrapped around her, holding her close. Takara opened her mouth to speak, but the man brought a finger to her lips, silently shushing her before she said a word.

"I'm sorry, Takara," the man said softly. "I'm sorry I wasn't happier about the baby, and I'm sorry I ran off without telling you where I was going, and most of all, I'm sorry I hurt you. I acted like a complete jerk."

Takara shook her head, brushing back a strand of blond hair from his face. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry, Keitaro. I should have talked to you first before deciding to stop taking the Pill. It should have been our decision, instead of just mine. I didn't think about how you would feel. I thought you would want a child…"

"I do." Keitaro lightly kissed her forehead, his hand traveling to her stomach. "If you want this baby, then I want it, too."

"I want it more than anything," Takara answered, placing her own hand over his. "But that doesn't make what I did right. I mean, even if we had decided to have a baby, this is a bad time, with you starting the campaign for the governor's seat and all."

"I've decided not to run, Takara."

Stunned by his announcement, Takara sat up in bed, her eyes large as she stared at her husband. She couldn't believe what her ears were hearing. Becoming the governor of Tokyo had been Keitaro's dream job. How could he pass up this opportunity?

"What?" she asked.

Keitaro gave her a half-smile, though even in the darkness, she could sense the sadness in his eyes. "It's okay, Takara. Really. I'm still young. There's plenty of time for me to run. Right now, I'm needed here, with you."

"But you might not have this kind of opportunity next time. Negishi-sama is vacating his seat and has personally selected you to succeed him. You're practically guaranteed to win the election. It would be idiotic not to run. Isn't this what you always wanted?"

He sighed, caressing her cheek. "What I want is for you to have a healthy pregnancy. Your doctors said this is a high-risk condition, and I don't want to put you under any unnecessary stress. I want to be here for you."

"I'll be fine, Keitaro," she insisted. "I want you to run. Don't worry about me. I'm sure Yukana-san and Miyuki will do enough of that for the both of us."

Takara let out a giggle, imagining what the next seven months were going to be like under the watchful eyes of her housekeeper and her best friend. She wasn't going to be able to do anything fun at all, but in the end, she supposed it would be worth it.

"Are you sure?" Keitaro asked.

"Positive," she answered, playfully poking the tip of his nose. "All our dreams will come true. Just wait and see."

Takara yawned, feeling the sleep catching up with her. She snuggled under the blanket and leaned her tired head against Keitaro's shoulder, enjoying being in his arms. Everything was going to be alright, she knew it.

She felt her husband kiss the top of her head, holding her close as he stole some of the blanket for himself. "Takara?"

"Hmmm…"

"Are you scared?" he asked.

Takara shook her head, her eyelids growing heavy. "No, not at all," she mumbled. "Are you?"

She was asleep before Keitaro could answer her question.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Saburo began sweeping the courtyard after his usual morning meditation, somewhat disturbed by something he read in the sacred fire. Saburo didn't know exactly what the gods were trying to tell him, but in his heart, he felt this overwhelming conflicting sense of hope and dread. Even the crows seemed a little spooked. They'd been cawing loudly ever since he walked outside, ignoring the corn he threw on the ground for them to eat. Two, especially, seemed very excited, flapping their majestic wings as they perched themselves on the bare branches of the sakura tree.

"The astrological sign of Mars, disappearing into the flames…" he murmured, clearly remembering what he saw in the blaze. "I don't understand. What can it mean?"

Interrupted from his thoughts by the presence of a patron, the priest turned around, surprised to see Asaka Miyuki walking through the torii located at the front of Hikawa. The pretty blonde still occasionally came to visit and help out around the shrine, but somehow, Saburo sensed that was not her purpose today.

"'Morning! It's good to see you again, Miyuki-chan," he said, walking over to greet her.

Miyuki bowed politely. "Good morning, Kondo-sama. Do you need any help today?"

Shaking his head, Saburo resumed his sweeping. "No, thank you. I can handle everything by myself today, but I appreciate the offer," he replied. "Things have been rather slow here as of late. The shrine doesn't get as much business as it used to…"

"Is Hikawa in financial trouble?" Miyuki asked, bending down to gather a handful of corn to feed to some of the crows still excitedly flying around.

Instead of answering the question, he decided to change the subject. Miyuki didn't need to know how tight money was around the shrine since the Mizukis stopped giving their generous donations after his former daughter's and Mizuki Hisoka's broken engagement. The last thing he needed was for Miyuki to feel even more pity for him.

"How's school?" Saburo asked. "Are you still making good marks?"

"Fine," she said distractedly, feeding one of the crows. He had a feeling she wasn't really paying attention to their conversation. Normally, she was much more talkative, but it seemed as if she had something important to tell him and didn't know how to approach the subject. And if his suspicions were correct, he knew exactly who Miyuki wanted to talk about.

"Takara sent you, didn't she?"

Chocolate brown eyes looked up in surprise, but Miyuki didn't deny it. She tossed the rest of the corn back on the ground and leaned against the nearby tree. "She and Keitaro-san are expecting a baby," she informed him.

Saburo wasn't surprised by Miyuki's announcement. It was only a matter of time before Takara and her Catholic husband began a family. "Good for them," he replied, his voice emotionless.

"That's all you have to say? Good for them?" Miyuki asked. "You're going to be a grandfather, and that's how you react to the news?"

"How do you expect me to react, Miyuki-chan? Takara and I haven't spoken to each other since the day she refused to sign the annulment papers. I told her that if she insisted on staying married to Hino-san, then she was no longer my daughter, and that's how I intend to keep things. She made her decision, and I made mine. End of story."

"But, Kondo-sama…"

"End of story," he repeated. "Thank you for coming over and telling me, but I will not go back on my word. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

Defeated, Miyuki said goodbye and left the shrine, leaving the old priest alone with his thoughts. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh toward the girl. After all, she was only trying to help, but he was afraid that nothing short of a miracle would repair his and Takara's broken relationship.

Saburo reached into the pocket of his robe, pulling out a heart-shaped ruby necklace. It was the pendant Noriko had given their daughter right before her death. When he awoke the morning after Takara ran away, he had found the necklace, along with her letter, laying beside his pillow. Now, it was one of the few thing he had left to remember her by. Smiling sadly, Saburo held the necklace up and let the morning sunlight hit the dark red stone, causing the ruby to shimmer.

He missed her. Saburo couldn't even begin to count the number of times he'd gone to the bus station with the sole purpose of visiting the Hino manor. His pride always held him back, however, and he could only watch as another bus drove on without him with tears in his eyes.

There wasn't a day that went by that Saburo didn't regret his decision to cut Takara out of his life. His words had been spoken out of anger and disappointment, made worse by the fact he blamed Hino Keitaro for the heart attack that almost claimed Takara's young life after the ceremony. They never should have eloped that night, not when Takara was so emotional. It had been a hasty decision that put too much stress on her weak heart.

Of course, now Saburo realized he was as much to blame as Keitaro was, maybe even more. If only he hadn't insisted Takara marry Hisoka, she never would have run into the politician's arms. It was a classic case of teenage rebellion: girl doesn't like the suitor her father chose, so she runs off with the man he didn't want her to marry and breaks her father's heart. Maybe if he'd let the relationship run its course, Takara would have eventually realized that she and Keitaro were just too different and it would be better to settle down with a nice Shinto boy and stay at Hikawa. If only he could turn back time…

Placing the necklace back in his pocket, Saburo walked over to the stand where the charms were sold and reached over the counter for a fortune. He read the short message written on the slip of paper, his hand shaking at the ominous reading. It was the same feeling he had when he saw the sign in the sacred fire.

Something was about to happen. He could feel it.

"Takara…" he whispered, as he tied the fortune around the branch of the nearby sakura tree, praying to the gods that it wouldn't come true. "Be careful."


	5. Flickering Flames

Sitting in the waiting room of her doctor's office, Takara flipped through one of the out-of-date parenting magazines, her violet eyes scanning the articles without much interest. She just couldn't concentrate. _Where is he?_ she wondered. He should have been there by now. She finally gave up trying to distract herself and tossed the issue of _Parenting_ back on the coffee table in the center of the room.

Frowning, she glanced up at the clock hanging above the nurses' station. It appeared that once again, Keitaro wasn't able to leave his office to accompany her to her doctor's appointment. His absence really shouldn't have bothered her that much, as she had gotten used to it over the past few months, but it did. This was the seventh time in a row he promised to come, and the seventh time he had disappointed her yet again. She now regretted refusing Miyuki's offer to skip her classes and accompany her to the appointment. Going for her regularly scheduled ultrasounds, a precautionary measure by her doctor to monitor the baby's growth during the high-risk pregnancy, always put her on the edge.

Beside her, another woman, already well into her second trimester, giggled at something she read in her magazine, pointing out the article to her husband. Takara tried to ignore them, but it was difficult to do when the other mother-to-be, noticing she was alone, decided she wanted to chat.

"So, when are you due?" the woman asked, rubbing her round tummy with a huge grin on her face. "We're due in July. Keiji and I are so excited, aren't we, sweetheart?"

"We sure are," the proud father-to-be answered, resting his hand protectively over his wife's. "We just can't wait for little Junior to be born."

Takara smiled politely, not wanting to seem rude. "I'm due in early May," she said, hoping the woman's curiosity had been satisfied.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. "May? That's a lovely month to be born in," the woman continued. "Our daughter Hanako was born in May. May 4th, to be exact. Maybe our children will share a birthday. Wouldn't that be interesting? Will this be your first child?"

"Yes, it is."

"How delightful! The first birth is always so exciting, although quite nerve-wracking. I remember when I was expecting Hanako, Keiji was a complete nut-case -"

Her husband interrupted. "I was not, Akane."

Akane rolled her eyes, continuing her story. "Don't listen to him. Believe me, the day I went into labor, I thought Keiji was going to have a nervous breakdown…"

By that time, Takara had tuned the woman's voice out of her mind, nodding her head every so often to give the appearance she was still listening. She wished the door leading to the examination rooms would open and the nurse would call out her name. Takara was tired of waiting. It seemed as if she'd been sitting in the waiting room forever.

The door finally opened a few minutes later like an answered prayer, and an attractive medical assistant entered the waiting room, a clipboard in her hand. She glanced down at the list, lifting a few pages to see who was next. "Tachibana Akane-san, Ito-sensei will see you now," the nurse said.

"Oh, that's us!" the chatty woman exclaimed, stopping in the middle of her story. "Pity we couldn't talk more, but it was very nice to meet you. I wish you and your husband much happiness and the best of luck."

"Thanks," Takara said softly, watching Keiji help his wife out of her chair and lead her toward the door.

Once they were gone, Takara slumped back in her chair and leaned her head against the pale yellow wall. A sigh of disappointment escaped her lips. It looked as if she would have to wait a little while longer. Instinctively, she brought her hands to her stomach, lightly caressing her swollen belly. With her slender frame, the growth was very noticeable, though she really hadn't gained that much weight thus far. She'd only began regularly wearing maternity clothes about four weeks ago, much to Mrs. Yukana's dismay. The grandmotherly housekeeper kept telling Takara she was much too skinny for a woman in her condition.

"Please, let everything be okay," she whispered aloud, closing her eyes as she mentally prayed to the gods.

A light touch on her shoulder interrupted Takara's prayers. She slowly opened her eyes, finding a nurse standing over her. "Hino-san, Honda-sensei will see you now," the brunette said, a calming smile on her face. "Please, follow me."

Takara stood and followed the nurse inside one of the examination rooms, equipped with an ultrasound machine. She then changed into the unflattering smock the nurse handed her and allowed the brunette to do the preliminary tests before she went to find Dr. Honda.

When the doctor arrived a couple of minutes later, Takara was sitting on the edge of the examination table, studying one of the posters hanging on the wall. Pushing the rims of his heavy glasses up his nose, the kind doctor smiled, putting her somewhat at ease.

"Good afternoon, Hino-san," he said, momentarily glancing down at her charts. "How are you today?"

"A little nervous," Takara admitted.

"Well, I want you to relax," Dr. Honda lightly ordered, helping her lie back and pulling her cotton gown up so her round tummy was exposed. "As long as you have been following my and your cardiologist's recommendations, everything should be fine. Is your husband here?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid Keitaro couldn't make it today. He's busy with the campaign."

"I see."

Dr. Honda squeezed something onto his right hand and rubbed the cool gel over her stomach. He then began rolling a handheld transducer across her abdomen, his eyes focused on the computer screen in front of him. Takara tried to sneak a peak, wanting to see her child, but the machine was turned at such an angle that she couldn't see much of anything at all, except the glow of the screen dancing across the doctor's face.

Occasionally, Dr. Honda would make a small grunting sound, though it was difficult to discern by his tone whether or not he was pleased. Takara wished he would say something. Anything would be better than his indifferent guttural noises. "Honda-sensei, is everything okay with the baby?" she asked, trying to remain calm.

"It looks good, Hino-san," he assured her, pausing to write something down on his clipboard. Takara breathed a small sigh of relief. "The fetus appears to be in good health, though still somewhat small. I want you to start gaining some more weight. You're about five pounds underweight for your body type at this stage of pregnancy, and I'm afraid the fetus may not be getting the all the necessary nutrients it needs. By our next appointment, I expect you to be at least up to 120, if not a couple pounds heavier. Other than that, the pregnancy is progressing quite nicely, considering its high-risk nature. Tell me, have you experienced any more irregular heart palpitations since the last time I saw you?"

She nodded, though she tried to brush her recent "attacks" off as no big deal. "I've had a couple of minor attacks, but I don't think they are anything to be concerned about. They only lasted a couple of seconds, and then I would be fine the rest of the day."

"Every 'attack', as you call it, has the potential to become dangerous, Hino-san, especially during this late stage in the pregnancy," Dr. Honda said, a slight frown on his lips. "You should not take them so lightly. Have you been under any stress lately?'

Shrugging her slender shoulders, Takara struggled to sit back up, leaning on her arms for support. She couldn't think of anything that might be causing her stress. "No, I don't think so."

"Are you sure about that? According to the reports given to me by your cardiologist, you tend to experience these attacks when you are under extreme emotional stress or after participating in strenuous activity, and since he and I have both given you strict orders not to strain yourself physically, it leads me to believe that perhaps your recent attacks could be stress-related. Earlier, you mentioned your husband has been busy as of late with his campaign, and I can't ignore his absence today. Have you two been fighting lately?"

"No, of course not!" she exclaimed, offended he would think such a thing.

"Forgive me, Hino-san," Dr. Honda apologized, helping her lie back down. "I didn't mean to upset you. Would you like to see your baby now?"

Takara nodded, and the doctor turned the machine so she would have a better view, placing the transducer back on her belly. A gray, fuzzy image appeared on the screen, and the mother-to-be squinted her eyes, straining to make out the baby's image from the blurry mess. She smiled as the picture became clearer. After going through so many ultrasounds, she was becoming quite a pro at recognizing the baby's features, so Dr. Honda no longer needed to help point the fetus out. However, her eyes widened as something she had never seen before appeared on the screen.

"What's that?" she asked.

Her finger fell on a spot on the baby's forehead, where a beautiful, ethereal red light seemed to glow. Dr. Honda's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, but the light quickly disappeared back into the darkness, so fast that neither could be certain they had truly seen it. He shrugged.

"Must have been a trick of the light," the doctor replied, dismissing the strange phenomenon as nothing more than a glare on the screen.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"According to the latest polls, we now only have a four percent marginal lead over Tanaka-san among registered voters, a rather large dip from our all-time high of twelve percent just two weeks ago. Political analysts attribute Tanaka-san's meteoric rise in the polls to the recent success he had in getting the new drug-use prevention legislation passed in the Assembly. Now, we all know your relative inexperience in public office has been the subject of several of our competitor's negative campaign ads, but if we were… Hino-san? Hino-san?"

Gray eyes, which for most of the man's ridiculously long speech had been staring blankly off into space, focused back onto the campaign manager standing in the center of the office. "Sorry, Mitsuishi-san," Keitaro apologized, straightening his posture behind his desk. "I lost my concentration for a moment. Please, continue. You were saying?"

"Actually, I think we covered quite enough for today," Governor Negishi said, rising from his seat on the leather couch to show Mitsuishi to the door. "Thank you for coming today, Mitsuishi-san. As always, we appreciate your help, and Hino-san will, of course, take all your suggestions into consideration."

"I advise Hino-san to make a final decision concerning the new ad campaign as soon as possible, Negishi-sama," Mitsuishi reminded them, gathering his charts and graphs as the retiring governor of Tokyo opened the door. "Tanaka-san has a reputation of being rather vicious when it comes to his political tactics, and we cannot afford to lose any more supporters so soon before the elections. Our best bet is to counteratt--"

"Yes, of course, of course," he said. "We'll get back to you soon, Mitsuishi-san. Good day."

Once the long-winded campaign manager finally left the room, the governor closed the door and turned his attention back to his young protégé. He did not look pleased. Keitaro leaned back in his chair, preparing for the lecture he was sure to follow.

Sure enough, the usually jolly governor let him have it, banging his fist on the surface of the desk to get Keitaro's attention. "What is with you today, kid?" he said. "This isn't like you. In case you've forgotten, you are right in the middle of a major campaign, the opportunity of a lifetime. This is no time to be daydreaming about roses and daffodils. We have work to do."

"I know, I know," Keitaro said, glancing down at his watch. He pushed his chair away from his desk and stood, pulling on his sport coat. "It's just that today is Takara's doctor appointment, and I promised to be there. I think I am going to take my lunch break now and head over to Honda-sensei's office. Maybe if I hurry, I can still make -"

A buzz from the intercom sitting on the corner of his desk interrupted him. Wondering who was here to see him, as his meeting with Mitsuishi was his last scheduled appointment before lunch, Keitar reached over and pressed the button. "Yes, Katsuki-kun? What is it?"

A woman's voice cackled over the speaker. "Hino-san, your wife is here to see you. May I send her in?"

That was unexpected. Takara rarely visited him at the office. Shrugging off his jacket, Keitaro sat back down behind his desk before telling his secretary to show her in.

The door opened a few seconds later, and his beautiful wife entered the office, looking surprised to see Negishi there as well. "Oh, I didn't know you were in the middle of a meeting, Keitaro," Takara said, placing her hand back on the solid gold doorknob, turning to leave. "I'm sorry. I'll just show myself out."

"No need, Hino-san," the jolly governor replied, walking over to the door. "I was about to leave, anyway. Far be it for me to interrupt a private moment between a husband and his lovely wife. Goodbye, and Keitaro-san, I strongly urge you to make a final decision on the new ad campaign. Mitsuishi-san might like the sound of his own voice far too much for his own good, but the boy does raise some valid points concerning your opponent's reputation."

Keitaro nodded, flipping through a stack of materials Mitsuishi left behind before setting them aside. "Of course, Negishi-sama. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Goodbye."

With a final nod of acknowledgement in Takara's direction, the governor left the room. Takara closed the door behind Negishi, then took a seat on the couch, watching as her husband sighed and took off his glasses. "Are things not going well with the campaign?" she asked.

Keitaro managed a small half-smile, thinking how typically Takara it was for her to be worried about everything except herself. Of course, that was what Miyuki was for. His wife's best friend had visited the manor so many times during the past few months, she might as well live there. In fact, Keitaro had hoped Miyuki would accompany Takara to her appointment in his absence, but that was apparently not the case.

"It's nothing, Takara. We took a small dip in the polls, but it's nothing to be too concerned about," he lied, not wanting her to worry. "But let's not talk about politics now. How did things go at your appointment?"

Takara placed a hand over her stomach. "Everything went fine. Honda-sensei said the baby is healthy and has the heartbeat of a warrior."

"I'm glad," Keitaro said. He stood and took a seat beside his pregnant wife. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there today. I know how much you wanted me to be with you for the appointment, but the meeting with Mitsuishi-san lasted far longer than I expected, and there was no way I could make it."

Takara rested her head on Keitaro's shoulder. "That's okay, Keitaro. I understand. I know you are very busy with the campaign."

"That's not an excuse."

Keitaro, in an uncharacteristic move of tenderness, brought his arm behind her and pulled her close, lightly kissing the top of her head. He hated disappointing Takara. She always insisted she didn't mind, but the sadness he sometimes saw in her violet eyes when she thought he wasn't looking proved otherwise. He knew he hadn't been as supportive as he should have been during Takara's pregnancy.

The campaign for governor occupied most of his time. When he wasn't attending party fundraisers or making television appearances, Keitaro was either busy meeting with his campaign committee or preparing for the upcoming debates with Tanaka Yoshiyuki, his main competition for the governor's seat. His hectic schedule didn't leave much time to help care for his wife. Sometimes, he even found himself seriously considering dropping out of the race, a thought he didn't realize he had voiced aloud until Takara pulled away, shaking her head.

"Keitaro, I told you I'm fine," she insisted. "I don't want you to pull out of the race. Yukana-san and Miyuki have been taking great care of me, so don't worry so much. Just focus on your campaign."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "All you have to do is say the word, and I will quit. There'll be other elections. Nobody says I need to be governor right this minute. I can get a few more years of experience under my belt as a member of the Assembly and try again during the next election."

"But you've worked so hard already to win the LDP's nomination. You can't quit now." Takara smiled, linking her arm around his. "Besides, didn't you tell me once that Tanaka Yoshiyuki-san was a white collar criminal who gave good politicians like you and Negishi-sama a bad name? I certainly don't want someone like that running Tokyo."

Keitaro chuckled good-naturedly, bringing a finger to her lips. "Takara! Be careful what you say. You're liable to get me sued for slander."

"But it is the truth, is it not?" she replied with a grin, trying to stand up.

Noticing her struggle, Keitaro helped her off the leather couch, the two of them standing face to face. He tenderly brushed a strand of raven black hair from her eyes, his face becoming serious once again as he looked down at his brave and beautiful wife. What would he ever do without her? "Thank you, Takara."

"For what?" she asked.

"For believing in me and my dream."

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Weeks passed, and soon it was mid-April. Outside, springtime had come to the Tokyo area, bringing with it the beauty of reborn life, appearing after months of winter hibernation. Birds sang, a fresh warm breeze blew, and the sakura trees were in full bloom, the delicate blossoms covering the world in an unusual pink snow. The world never looked more beautiful. Inside, however, was a different story.

Opening her eyes, an eight months pregnant Takara yawned and turned her head toward the window, where the afternoon sunlight filtered through the glass and filled the room with a welcome brightness. How long had it been since she had last seen the sun? It seemed like forever, although she knew it had only been about a week since her last appointment with Dr. Honda when he ordered her to undergo complete bed rest as a precaution during the final month of pregnancy.

Takara sighed, resting her hands on her bulging belly. She hated staying in bed all the time. It reminded her too much of the period after her heart attack. Not to mention she was bored out of her mind. All she ever did anymore was eat and sleep. Especially sleep. One would think she was going through her own hibernation period with the amount of naps she took. Nobody ever told her carrying a baby would be so tiring.

"Oh, Takara, you're up," a familiar female voice said as its owner entered the room, carrying an elegant English-style silver tea service for two. The blonde set the tray, a wedding gift from Governor Negishi, down on the nightstand and took a seat on the edge of the bed, a smile on her face. "Good. Yukana-san made us some tea."

"How long have I been asleep?" Takara asked, struggling to sit up in her bed. Miyuki, seeing her strain, placed one of Keitaro's pillows behind her back before she glanced over at the alarm clock to check the time.

"Not very long," Miyuki assured her. "Only for about a couple of hours. It's 5:30 now."

"Sorry, Miyuki. I haven't been very good company today, have I?"

Chocolate brown eyes rolled as Miyuki began pouring her friend a cup of tea. "Takara, don't apologize. I'm the one who's supposed to be keeping you company, in case you've forgotten. Besides, Honda-sensei said you needed to rest, and I, for one, am not about to let you ignore doctor's orders, no matter how much you gripe and moan."

Just to annoy her, Takara groaned, her lips curling into a pout. That was all she ever heard anymore. Dr. Honda said this, Dr. Honda said that, Dr. Honda wants her to dance around naked, singing _I'm a Little Teapot_ at the top of her lungs… Well, maybe it wasn't that bad, but bad enough. If Takara heard her kind, yet strict, obstetrician's name one more time, she was going to scream. She knew the doctor only wanted what was best for her and the baby, but it seemed at times that he was being overly cautious. After all, she hadn't had a major attack in weeks, and other than her extreme fatigue, which according to her _What To Expect When You're Expecting_ book was normal in the third trimester, she felt perfectly fine.

Too make matters worse, Miyuki and Mrs. Yukana appeared downright determined to treat her like the baby she was carrying. If there was one thing Takara hated, it was being treated as if she was some kind of piece of art that would break at the slightest movement. It made her feel so weak and helpless, and it was not a feeling she liked in the least.

Not that she didn't appreciate their help, of course. Mrs. Yukana had been wonderful over the past few months, making sure she ate well and gained some much needed weight, and Miyuki was nothing short of amazing, juggling her full course load at the university along with taking care of Takara whenever she could, but sometimes the mother-to-be felt smothered under their care. For once, Takara was actually grateful Keitaro continued to be too busy with his campaign, because she had a feeling he would be just as bad, if not worse, as her housekeeper and best friend.

It was Keitaro's absence today that brought Miyuki to the manor. Tonight was the first televised debate between Keitaro and his main opponent, Tanaka Yoshiyuki, so he and Governor Negishi were spending most of the day preparing at Tokyo University, where the debate was to be held. Since he was gone, Miyuki decided to come over to visit and keep Takara company, as she knew Takara was starting to feel restless, being forced to stay in her bed all the time.

"I hate this," Takara complained once again, slumping her shoulders as she leaned her head against the ornately carved headboard. "I should be with Keitaro, supporting him at the debate, not here, stuck in bed with nothing to do. I wish I could have gone."

Miyuki sympathetically squeezed Takara's slender hand, knowing despite the large amount of time Keitaro's choice of career kept him away from her, she would always be his number one supporter. "I know, Takara, but Hon-"

"Don't say it, Miyuki…" Takara warned even as the blonde continued speaking without missing a beat.

"-da-sensei thinks it is best that you don't strain yourself physically or emotionally. Don't worry so much about Keitaro-san. He'll do fine. Besides, Minoru-san and Negishi-sama are there to give him their support."

She didn't scream, though Takara was extremely tempted to deliver on her threat, but she did give Miyuki a nasty look for having the gall to mention his name in her presence, the glare quickly turning into a smile as she burst into a gale of laughter at the confused look on poor Miyuki's face.

"Did I miss something here?" Miyuki asked, glancing around the room. "What's so funny, Takara? I didn't think I was that much of a comedienne…"

"Nothing!" she insisted, attempting unsuccessfully to hide her giggles behind her hand.

Miyuki just shook her head in mild annoyance, handing Takara the steaming cup of freshly brewed tea when she finally calmed down. "Yukana-san said she would bring a tray up around six so we can eat dinner while we watch the debate. Is that okay?"

"That sounds fine to me. I'm starving," Takara replied with a smile, her eyes falling on the television set sitting on the dresser. "Oh, good. Somebody brought the TV up here like I asked."

"Do you want me to go ahead and turn it on channel nine for the debate?" Miyuki asked, starting to stand.

Takara motioned her to sit back down and placed her half-empty cup of tea back on the nightstand, not really thirsty anyway. "No, that's okay, Miyuki. The debate doesn't start for another twenty-five minutes or so, so there's still plenty of time," she replied. "Let's just talk. We never get the chance to talk like we used to anymore. Remember all those times we had when we were younger? When you would sleep over at Hikawa, and we'd stay up practically all night long, talking about everything and nothing?"

Miyuki laughed at the fond memory. "And how Kondo-sama liked to scare us into finally going to sleep by coming into your room around midnight and telling us the kami-sama of the shrine was angry because we were disturbing his peace…" Miyuki's voice trailed off when she noticed Takara staring off into space. "Takara, are you feeling okay?"

Hearing her father's name, Takara had stopped listening to her friend, feeling a small pang in her heart. She still thought of him sometimes, more often as of late, it seemed. Maybe it was because she was becoming a parent herself. She'd hoped the upcoming birth of his first grandchild would help bring them closer and possibly heal the rift between them, but that didn't appear to be the case. They were as far apart as ever.

"How is he?" sje asked in a soft voice, her gaze lowered and contemplating the pattern on her quilt. Not that she really cared, of course. If he didn't care about her, why should she worry about him? "Have you spoken to him lately, Miyuki?"

"To whom?" Miyuki asked innocently, though Takara had a feeling Miyuki knew exactly to whom she was referring and was just trying to avoid the subject.

She humored her friend anyway. "Otou-san. I know you still visit the shrine occasionally, so don't even try to deny it."

"Yes, I've spoken to Kondo-sama a few times…" Miyuki finally admitted, immediately biting down on her bottom lip.

Takara could tell she was reluctant to say anything more, not wanting to hurt her feelings, but Miyuki didn't have to say anything, anyway. Her silence was answer enough. Still, Takara asked the question she always asked on the rare occasions they spoke about Saburo, wondering when she became such a masochist. She already knew the answer, so why did she always insist on torturing herself by asking?

"He still won't forgive me for marry Keitaro, will he?"

Miyuki shook her head, brown eyes giving her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Takara."

Reaching for her parents' old wedding photo on the nightstand, Takara sighed. She caressed her father's face with her fingertip, freshly given a French manicure courtesy of Miyuki earlier that day, and forced a small smile on her lips. "You don't need to apologize," Takara said. "I expected as much from him. It was silly of me to hope things would change after otou-san learned he was going to be a grandfather. Just wishful thinking, that's all."

With one last look at the faded photograph, Takara laid the frame face-down on the nightstand, not wanting to talk about her father anymore. All it did was cause her pain and heartache. She might as well face the facts. Her father would never forgive her for marrying Keitaro, and that was that. Kondo Saburo always had been as stubborn as a mule. It was one of the traits she inherited from him, after all. But still…

"Takara?"

Takara pushed the thoughts of her father aside, deciding they should talk about something more pleasant, like the weather. "I bet it's beautiful outside, isn't it, Miyuki?" she asked with forced cheerfulness.

If the sudden change in topic of conversation surprised Miyuki, she didn't show it. The two of them were close enough to know when the other didn't want to talk about something, though Miyuki usually ended up convincing her talk about it anyway. This time, however, she wisely let the subject drop and nodded. "It's gorgeous," Miyuki answered. "I wish you could see it, Takara. The sakura trees are in full bloom now, and they all look so pretty."

Takara smiled wistfully, wishing she could see them, too. The springtime always was her favorite time of year. "Are you sure you and Yukana-san couldn't take me outside, just for a little while?" she asked.

"I thought we already went over this…"

"I know, I know. Doctor's orders." Takara slumped back against her pillows, crossing her arms so they rested on her belly. "That doesn't mean I have to like it, you know. All I want is to be able to see the sakura trees in bloom. Is that so horrible?"

"Next year, Takara," Miyuki said, standing up from her seat on the bed. She began putting their teacups back on the tray as Takara pouted. "Don't give me that look. It's not going to work."

"Miyuki…"

"No. Now, I'm going down to the kitchen to brew some more tea and help Yukana-san bring up dinner. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

"Fine."

Takara watched her friend exit the room and sighed. Miyuki really was like a mother hen, always looking out for her best interests. It was one of the things Takara loved most about her. She had the most caring heart, even if she did have a tendency to be somewhat of a worrywart at times. Most of the time, actually. Still, Takara was determined to see the sakura blossoms for herself, no matter what Miyuki said.

When she was sure Miyuki had left, Takara pushed away her quilt and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. It took her a couple minutes to stand on her own, especially after so many days of laying in bed, but she finally managed to steady herself on her feet and waddled over to the window, where she looked down at the manor grounds.

The sight was as gorgeous as Miyuki described, bringing a smile to Takara's face as she placed her palm against the transparent glass and imagined, for just a moment, she could feel the warmth of the sunlight on her skin or the soft touch of a sakura blossom falling in her hair. Was there anything more beautiful than the springtime? There was something about the season that always made her feel at peace, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

"Hino Takara, what do you think you're doing?"

The mother-to-be sheepishly turned around to find Miyuki standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, while Mrs. Yukana stood behind her with a tray of mouthwatering food in her hands. "Oh, hi, Miyuki…Yukana-san… I was just…uh…turning on the TV for the debate."

Miyuki raised a skeptical eyebrow in Takara's direction. "Really?" she said, obviously not believing her claim for a second. Letting Mrs. Yukana pass through to put down the heavy tray, Miyuki walked over to the window where Takara stood and placed her hands on her friend's slender shoulders, her eyes softening for a moment. "Takara, I know you're restless and bored, but you really do need to stay in bed. We aren't trying to be mean. Really, we aren't. We only want what is best for you and the baby."

"I knowi," Takara said softly, suddenly ashamed of her careless behavior. "I'm sorry. You and Yukana-san have been taking such good care of me these last few months, and I know I haven't exactly been the best patient in the world…"

Miyuki chuckled, and even Mrs. Yukana cracked a smile as she poured the tea. It was no secret Takara hated anything related to her health, whether it was going for her constant doctor's appointments or remembering to take her pills every day. "You never were," Miyuki quipped. "Now, let me help you get back in bed, and Yukana-san will turn on the TV for the debate. It should be starting any minute."

Reluctantly, Takara allowed Miyuki to tear her away from the window and lead her back to the bed. They walked slowly, as not to put any unnecessary strain on her heart, but halfway across the room, Takara suddenly stopped, feeling a small, dull pain in her abdominal area and lower back. The pain didn't last long, only a few seconds, but the look on her face was enough to alarm Miyuki. "Takara, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, once the pain had disappeared. Takara was sure it was nothing to worry about. Probably just a case of indigestion

Unfortunately, it soon became evident that was not the case. A sharper pain than before caused Takara to stop once again just as they approached the bed. She grabbed onto one of the bedposts for support and squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to hide the pain as Miyuki gasped.

 _No, it's too soon_ , she thought, bringing her hand to her stomach. The pain was worsening, and there was no doubt in her mind it was a contraction. She felt her eyes well up with tears as she doubled over in pain.

_Kami-sama, not now! Please, not today! It's too soon…_

"Takara!"

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Behind the curtains of the stage located in the university's largest auditorium, Minoru peeked out into the audience. He found most of the five thousand seats available filled to capacity with journalists, photographers, and well-informed members of the public, their voices buzzing while they waited for the much anticipated debate between Keitaro and his opponent, Tanaka Yoshiyuki. The debate had been all the political community talked about for the past two weeks.

"Looks like a good crowd tonight," Minoru remarked to Governor Negishi, letting the heavy fabric of the curtain fall from his fingers and drop back in place. Not far from where the two men stood, Keitaro was already standing behind one of the two podiums set up in the center of the stage, reviewing his note cards as one of the technicians tested the microphones. "The auditorium's packed."

The elderly governor nodded, pulling out an old-fashioned pocket watch from his jacket to check the time. The debate was set to begin in little over five minutes. "Nothing like a not-so-friendly debate to pull in an audience," he agreed. "I can tell you one thing for certain about Tanaka Yoshiyuki-san: he sure knows how to make things interesting. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on whose side you're on."

"Do you think Keitaro has a chance of defeating Tanaka-san in the election?" Minoru asked, his eyes narrowing as he saw the smarmy politician himself approach Keitaro's podium in a false effort of good sportsmanship. The two bowed to each other before Tanaka took his place behind the other podium. "Tanaka-san did do quite a number on him with those last campaign ads."

The latest polls showed Keitaro and Tanaka were virtually tied, with only one percent separating the two. Thus far, Keitaro was managing to hang onto his very narrow lead, but a poor performance tonight during the debate could be disastrous, especially with the elections so close. Voters went to the polls in little less than two weeks, so the debates, of which three were scheduled, were the last chances the candidates had to sway the public in their favor before the election.

Quite frankly, Minoru was concerned. Not worried, concerned. There was no doubt in his mind that Keitaro was the right man to take Negishi Shinji's place as the governor of Tokyo, but apparently 49% of registered voters did not. He would hate to see Keitaro lose the election after all the hard work he put into his campaign, a campaign he insisted on running fair and clean even when Tanaka began throwing mud in his direction. No doubt about it; it had been a dirty race, and, unfortunately, it had been Keitaro's best suit that needed to be taken to the dry cleaner's. Personally, Minoru wouldn't have thought any less of his friend if Keitaro had at least sent Tanaka the bill, but revenge simply wasn't his style.

"I wouldn't worry too much about your friend, Uchizawa-san," Negishi said. "Keitaro-san is very much like his uncle, one of the finest men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and a damn good politician. Hino Wataru-san always was at his best during the debates, and that appears to be our man's strength as well. Keitaro-san will do fine, and the voters will finally open their eyes and see the candidate with substance, instead of flash. Tanaka-san might do well in advertising and fundraising, but when it comes to debates, he suffers from an incurable case of 'foot-in-mouth' disease. You'll see."

"I hope you're right, Negishi-sama."

Hearing the chattering of the audience die down and the moderator of the debate, a respected television journalist from the station airing the event, begin to lay down the rules, Minoru and the governor took their places in the darkened left wing of the stage to watch unobserved by the media.

Minoru felt himself relax a little bit after the introductions were given and the debate finally got under way. Governor Negishi had been right about debating being Keitaro's proverbial card up his sleeve. Despite his relative inexperience in public office, at least compared to the forty-something Tanaka Yoshiyuki, Keitaro was proving himself to be well-prepared and up-to-date on the issues, while the challenger seemed to be struggling, oftentimes stalling while he thought or providing vague answers to the media's questions. If things continued as well as they had been going so far, Keitaro could probably expect to gain at least a three percent lead over Tanaka in tomorrow's polls, if not more.

"He's doing well tonight," Minoru commented to the governor after Keitaro finished answering a rather controversial question to a round of loud applause from the audience. "You were right, Negishi-sama. Tanaka-san over there looks like he's sweating bullets."

The governor chuckled, his eyes falling on his young protégé's opponent as he wiped his brow with a handkerchief. The middle-aged man did indeed appear to be perspiring profusely, although whether it was because of the hot stage lights shining down on him or Keitaro's success could not be said for certain. "Tanaka-san never was a good debater, although he does have some skill as a public speaker," Negishi replied. "I remember when he ran against Keitaro-san's uncle in the election of 19-"

"Excuse me, sirs," a soft female voice said, cutting him off. The men turned their attention to the young college coed who was standing in the middle of the stairwell behind them. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but would you happen to be Uchizawa Minoru-san?"

Minoru nodded, grinning as he took in the pretty blue-haired girl's shapely figure. She was definitely his type, although perhaps a little young for him. He judged her to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, most likely a freshman at the university. "I'm Uchizawa. Is there something I can do for you?"

A faint blush crawled across the girl's pale cheeks. "Um…you have a phone call, Uchizawa-san," she informed him, stuttering just a little under his infamous seductive gaze. "A woman by the name of Asaka Miyuki-san wants to talk to you right away. She claims it is an emergency."

"An emergency?" Minoru immediately forgot about his hormones, already taking a step down the stairs in the girl's direction. Only one possible emergency came to mind, though, for Keitaro's sake, Minoru hoped he was wrong. "Where's the telephone?"

"You can take the call backstage in one of the dressing rooms. I'll show you the way."

"Thanks," he said to the girl, turning back to the governor. "Negishi-sama, I'll be back in a few minutes."

The governor nodded his understanding. "Do what you need to do, Uchizawa-san."

Leaving Negishi, Minoru followed the coed backstage to one of the unoccupied dressing rooms, hoping against hope his suspicions were wrong. The girl handed him the receiver and then left to give him some privacy, assuring him nobody would bother him while he talked on the phone.

"Miyuki-san? It's me, Minoru," he said into the phone after the door closed behind the girl. "What is the emergency? Is it Takara-san?"

On the other end of the line, he heard Miyuki sniffle, trying to regain composure. "We're at Tokyo Memorial. She went into labor about forty minutes ago, and from what the doctors tell me, it's putting too much strain on her heart."

"Oh, god…" Minoru said, running his fingers through his unruly red hair as the news sunk in. It was just as he thought. "What is her condition?"

"They won't tell me anymore than that because I'm not family, but it doesn't sound good, for her or the baby. You need to get Keitaro-san down here right away."

"Yes, of course. We'll be there as soon as possible," he assured her, although he didn't quite know how. 

Placing the receiver back in its cradle, Minoru sighed, his head hung low as he leaned over the vanity. It looked like Keitaro's worst fears were being realized. If Takara died… Minoru shook his head, forcing the thought out of his head. Takara was a strong woman, and she would survive this. What he needed to do was get Keitaro to the hospital, but the father-to-be was still in the middle of the heated debate.

Minoru quickly headed back to the wing, unsure of his next move. It would be near impossible to interrupt the debate himself, as nobody but the candidates themselves, the moderators, and a few aides assigned to refill the water glasses sitting on the podiums were allowed on stage, but maybe Governor Negishi had an idea.

Negishi seemed to suspect something was terribly wrong the second Minoru began climbing the stairwell, his normally relaxed face serious. "Uchizawa-san?"

"Keitaro needs to leave, now," Minoru said, walking up beside the portly governor.

"But he's in the middle of a debate. Surely, whatever it is can wait -"

"Some things are more important than politics," je said, cutting the governor off mid-sentence. Negishi arched his gray eyebrow in the younger man's direction, not accustomed to such rudeness, and Minoru bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, Negishi-sama."

Negishi sighed. "What is it, Uchizawa-san?"

"Takara-san has been taken to Tokyo General," he informed the governor, briefly glancing toward Keitaro on stage. "I don't know all the details, but what her friend told me, it sounds serious. We need to get the message to Keitaro, immediately. Do you have any ideas?"

Not wasting any time, the governor nodded, pulling out a spare index card and a pen from his pocket. He handed the items to Minoru. "Here, write a message and give it to one of the water girls to hand to Keitaro-san. I'm going to inform the sponsors what's going on and then call for my car. You two meet me in back."

"Right."

After the governor left, Minoru quickly finished jotting down the message, then scanned the area for one of the so-called "water girls". He spotted the blue-haired girl from earlier filling a pitcher with water backstage and walked over, touching her arm to get her attention. "Excuse me, miss."

The girl blushed once again when she turned around, spilling some of the water on the floor. "Uchizawa-san! Um… Do you need something?"

"Are you a water girl?" he asked, cutting straight to the point. The girl nodded, confused when he handed her the folded index card. "I need you to go on stage and hand this note to Hino-san."

"I don't know, Uchizawa-san. We aren't supposed to deliver personal messages to the candidates. I could get into huge trouble with Amari-sensei if he found out."

"You won't, I promise. It's an emergency."

The girl contemplated the idea for a few seconds before she finally stuck the note in her jeans pocket and poured two glasses of water for the candidates. The two of them then walked back to the left wing, Minoru staying behind while the coed continued on stage, first replacing Tanaka's glass before walking over to Keitaro.

In the shadows of the wing, Minoru held his breath as he watched the girl set the other glass on the corner of his podium, then reach into her pocket for the index card. Keitaro was in the middle of answering a question when the girl handed him the note, but he paused, unfolding the card as several members of the audience began to talk amongst themselves. After he finished reading, the politician glanced toward Minoru, a look of fear in his normally cool gray eyes. All he could do was nod his head, confirming what the note said was true.

"Hino-san, will you finish answering the question?" an impatient Tanaka said from behind the other podium. "This is neither the time or the place to receive personal messages."

Crumpling the note in his hand, Keitaro stepped away from the podium, bowing deeply to the surprised audience. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "but I must regretfully withdraw from this debate. Good night."

"What? Hino-san, you can't do this to me," his competitor said as Keitaro walked off the stage to a bombardment of flashing lights and inquisitive reporters. The younger politician didn't seem to hear, exchanging a few words with Minoru before the two men hurried to the exit. Tanaka banged his fist on the podium in anger. "HINO!"

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During what seemed like an endless drive to the hospital in the back of Governor Negishi's limo, Keitaro didn't say a word, wrapped up in his own thoughts as he watched the neon lights of nighttime Tokyo pass by in a blur out his window. Minoru, sitting in the seat beside him, kept assuring him that Takara and the baby would be fine, but Keitaro was not in the mood to hear his lies. He saw that look his best friend had given him after he read the note. Takara's condition was much more serious than Minoru was willing to reveal.

She never should have gotten pregnant with that child. From the moment she told him she was expecting a baby, he'd known something like this would happen. For Takara's sake, he tried to be accepting of the news, knowing how much she wanted to be a mother, but there were times, especially now, when he wished they had followed Dr. Honda's advice and terminated the pregnancy. It went against what he was taught by his religion to believe in, but Keitaro would have been perfectly content to spend an eternity burning in the fires of Hell if it meant saving Takara's life. But it was too late now. All he could do was hope and pray she would survive this.

Reaching into his pocket, Keitaro pulled out a faded piece of paper, worn and a little torn at the edges, but still in fairly good condition. Three years ago, a beautiful Shinto miko with the smile of an angel had given the charm to a skeptical Catholic politician, claiming as long as he believed in something, it had the power to bring good luck. Of course, at first, he hadn't really believed her, thinking it to be just another "Shinto hocus pocus scam," but then that night at the beach…

He never expected to fall in love, never wanted to fall in love, but it had happened, and Keitaro wasn't about to lose her. Not yet. Not now. If there was such a thing as good luck, he needed it more now than ever. God, Allah, Kami, or Buddha - it didn't matter who heard his prayer, only that it was answered.

"Keitaro, we're here," Minoru informed him as the limo rolled to a stop in front of the hospital, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Nodding, Keitaro put the charm back in his coat pocket and opened the door, not waiting for the chauffeur to get out of his driver's seat to assist them. This was no time to worry about appearances. He stepped out of the car, not caring about the sudden arrival of a spring shower, and waited somewhat impatiently underneath the covered area for Minoru and Governor Negishi to open their umbrellas and join him. The three men then entered the hospital, and after asking a nurse where to find the maternity ward, rode the elevator up to the fifth floor.

The first person they saw when the doors of the elevator slid open was Asaka Miyuki, pacing in the hall as she nibbled worriedly on her thumbnail. She didn't even appear to notice their arrival, lost in her own little world as she walked right past them without a word. Over in the corner, Keitaro also saw Mrs. Yukana sitting in the small waiting area, flipping through an old magazine without much interest. The elderly housekeeper actually spotted them first, putting down her magazine to greet them when they stepped onto the floor.

"Oh, my Keitaro-chan," she whispered, taking the politician into a hug. "I'm glad you're here. We were so afraid you weren't going to make it in time."

"In time for what?" he asked, pulling from his former nanny's embrace as Miyuki finally came over, the blonde not resisting when Minoru wrapped a comforting arm around her waist. Keitaro turned toward his wife's best friend, trying not to lose control when he saw the woman's tear-streaked face. "How is she, Miyuki-san?"

"We don't know," Miyuki answered, struggling to speak without bursting into tears. "The doctors haven't given us much information because we aren't immediate family. All they've told us is that Takara is having a difficult labor, and there's concern her heart won't hold out much longer. I'm sure Honda-sensei will fill you in more on the details."

"Where is Honda-sensei now?"

"I think he's with Takara at the moment. The doctor's been keeping a close eye on her progress, but he'll probably come out in few minutes to talk to you. I told him you were on your way."

Sure enough, after Miyuki finished speaking, a nearby door opened, and Dr. Honda stepped out of the room, chart in hand and trademark heavy spectacles falling down his nose. "Hino-san, good, you are finally here," the obstetrician said, pushing his glasses back into place after he closed the door behind him. "I would like to have a word with you. Privately, if I may."

Getting the doctor's message, Minoru offered to buy Miyuki a candy bar from one of the vending machines and Governor Negishi led Mrs. Yukana back to her seat in the waiting area, trying to distract her by talking about the debate. Keitaro followed Dr. Honda a short way down the hall so they could talk.

"Asaka-san told me Takara's labor has been difficult," Keitaro said once they were out of earshot. "Is she going to be okay?"

Dr. Honda sighed, looking down at Takara's charts. "I'm afraid I don't have an answer to your question, Hino-san. Your wife evidently has been in labor for quite some time, though she only began feeling the pains about an hour or so ago. She is almost completely dilated, but in my professional opinion, it would be unwise to continue with a vaginal birth as her heart rate is continuing to climb. I want that baby out ten minutes ago."

"What do you suggest, then, doctor?"

"Your wife has already agreed to an emergency Cesarean section. That, in itself, can present its own complications, as does any normal surgery, but the C-section is our best bet to save both the lives of the mother and the child. The nurses are already prepping her for the procedure, and with any luck, we should have the baby out within the next ten to fifteen minutes."

Keitaro nodded his head in understanding, wanting to see Takara before the procedure. "May I go in and talk to her?"

"I'm afraid we already have her under anesthesia and are moving her to the delivery room," Dr. Honda said, looking over Keitaro's shoulder as the door to Takara's room opened and a couple of nurses pushed her bed toward one of the delivery rooms. Keitaro started to go after her, but the doctor held him back. "I know you are anxious, Hino-san, but I assure you I will do the best I can to save your wife and child's lives."

"I know you will, doctor. Thank you."

"I'll let you know what happens as soon as possible," Dr. Honda promised before tying his surgical mask and following the nurses into the delivery room.

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Never in a million years did Miyuki ever expect she would one day be so grateful to feel Uchizawa Minoru's arm wrapped around her waist. Yet, as they walked together down one of the halls of the maternity ward, searching for a vending machine, she couldn't help but to feel just that, his touch bringing her some much needed comfort during such a difficult time.

He didn't hold her tightly, like a man might a lover, but it was reassuring just the same. Miyuki was surprised to see this side of Keitaro's best friend. Usually, Minoru acted so flirtatious around her, lightly teasing her about her tendency to be overprotective or throwing her corny lines. She had to admit she found it rather nice. Maybe he wasn't as immature as she first thought. And she couldn't deny Minoru was handsome…

Resting her head on the redhead's shoulders, Miyuki sighed. This was no time to be thinking of such things. Not when Takara was fighting for her life.

Thinking of Takara, she felt her eyes well up with tears. Miyuki wondered what was happening. Was she okay? Did something happen to Takara and the baby? Was that the reason Dr. Honda wanted to talk to Keitaro alone? Miyuki clenched a hand into a tight fist, struggling not lose control of her emotions.

She hated this. Absolutely hated it! Why wouldn't anybody tell her anything?

"Miyuki-san?"

Minoru's voice broke her away from her thoughts, and she glanced up, for the first time noticing they had stopped. The two of them were standing in front of a group of vending machines.

"Hmmm?" From the look on her companion's face, Miyuki suspected Minoru had been calling her name for some time. She unclenched her hand and relaxed somewhat when he gave her a small, sad smile.

"What kind of candy bar would you like?" he asked, jingling some quarters in his right hand. " _Snickers, Three Musketeers, Baby Ruth, Hershey's_ , or _Payday_?"

Miyuki almost laughed at the normalcy of such a question, but managed to stop herself, afraid her laughter might revert back to tears. It was funny how something so simple could be so comforting. Though she wasn't very hungry, she considered her choices for a few seconds before answering in an indifferent tone. " _Hershey's_ , I guess."

" _Hershey's_ it is, then." Minoru dropped a quarter in the coin slot and pushed the appropriate buttons. Shortly after, a chocolate bar dropped from its place on the second shelf. The redhead retrieved the candy bar from the bin and handed it to Miyuki. "Here we are. Sweets for a sweet."

This time, she did crack a small smile at Minoru's sorry attempt at humor. That was more like the Minoru she knew so well. "Thanks, Minoru-san."

"It's nothing," he replied, putting another coin in the machine to buy himself a _Snickers_. That short moment of lightness had disappeared, and Minoru once again had that rarely seen serious look on his face. Miyuki only recalled seeing it once before, the night of Takara's heart attack.

She hated remembering that night. She could honestly say it was one of the worst things she ever had to go through in her entire life. The waiting, and the crying, and the praying everything would be alright… They almost lost Takara that night, and now they risked losing her again. The idea was almost too much to bear.

Miyuki found herself unconsciously moving closer toward Minoru, wishing he would hold her tighter. She needed somebody to comfort her. It didn't matter who. She just wanted somebody to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Almost as if he sensed her unvoiced yearning, Miyuki felt Minoru's grip around her waist tighten as he pulled her even closer into a comforting embrace. In his arms, she finally felt free to release her unshed tears, sobbing into the fabric of his shirt. Minoru didn't seem to mind. He simply held her, gently rocking her back and forth as he offered words of assurance. "It's going to be okay," he whispered. "You have to believe that."

"You don't know that," she cried, almost hysterical as she gripped the back of his shirt with tightly clenched fingers. "Nobody does. Takara could already be dead for all we know. Maybe that's why Honda-sensei wanted to speak to Keitaro-san. Maybe she's dead, and the doctor is delivering the news right this very minute. Maybe she lost the baby. Maybe she -"

"Or maybe Takara-san and the baby are perfectly fine," Minoru interrupted her, brushing back a strand of her golden hair from her eyes when she looked up. She hated him for being so calm and level-headed when all she wanted to do was scream. "Miyuki-san, you need to stop thinking the worst. Have a little faith, okay?"

Miyuki shook her head. He just didn't understand. "I can't! I can't stop thinking about what happened earlier, and how if only I hadn't left Takara alone, she never would have gotten out of bed and this never would have happened. It's all my fault if she dies! All my fault!"

At that claim, Minoru gently pushed Miyuki away to hold her at arm's length, lifting her chin and forcing her to look at him through her tear-filled eyes. "Listen to me," he ordered. "It is not your fault. It's nobody's fault. Not yours, not mine, not Takara-san's, not Keitaro's. These things just happen sometimes, and assigning blame or playing the 'what if' game is not going to change anything. All we can do is hope for the best."

Her sobs lowered to a soft whimper as Minoru's words sunk in. She knew he was right. Blaming herself wouldn't help matters. Hope was all they had left. Miyuki once again collapsed into his arms, welcoming the comfort they provided her.

Hope was all they had left.

"I just can't lose her, Minoru-san," she whispered. "Takara is my best friend. I can't lose her."

Resting his chin on the top of her head, Minoru tightened his embrace. "You won't, Miyuki-san. I promise. Just don't lose hope."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stupid birds…" Saburo muttered to himself from the safety of the porch, watching a couple of black crows flying excitedly around the courtyard, cawing loudly over the sound of the pouring rain hitting the roof. All the other crows that made their home at the shrine had already found shelter from the unexpected storm, but not those two. They seemed determined to make as much racket as possible, which was quite an accomplishment considering they were competing with the loud rumbles of thunder that crashed every few minutes, disturbing the natural peaceful serenity of the sacred shrine. Saburo wondered what had gotten into the pair.

Well, if they wanted to become animal lightning rods, that was their business. Ignoring the crows' calls, Saburo slid open the door to the shrine and stepped inside, glad to be out of the rain. Since he wouldn't be able to finish raking the sakura petals because of the storm, the priest decided to begin his evening meditations. Maybe the fire could help him understand the strange feeling he suddenly felt in his heart.

Saburo entered the room containing the shrine's eternal sacred fire, the heat warming his cool skin and slightly damp robes as he kneeled before the flickering flames. Normally, the sight of the burning light calmed him, but not tonight. Even the fire appeared to be acting erratically, the blaze dancing every which way, showing its dangerous beauty. Saburo found himself instinctively backing away when he felt a small spark from the fire singe a hair on his knuckle.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen," he chanted with his eyes closed, moving his fingers in a series of specific patterns as he called on the fire's powers. "Show me the source of my uneasiness."

At first, the fire did nothing. When he finally opened his eyes and saw nothing in the flames, Saburo sighed, believing he'd failed. It was not an uncommon result. Fire was a fickle element, difficult to control even by the best of fire readers. Visions came as they pleased and rarely when called. The fire knew no master.

But, without warning, the blaze came to life, filling the small prayer room completely with its luminance. The old priest backed even further away from the flames, his dark brown eyes large as he stared at the inferno.

"What the…?"

Inside the fire, the astrological sign of Mars shone brightly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the hospital, Keitaro glanced down at his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past thirty minutes, wondering why it was taking Dr. Honda so long to emerge from the delivery room. The doctor had told him the procedure would take fifteen minutes at the most. They should have heard something by now, unless something had gone wrong…

He forced the thought away, not wanting to think about that possibility.

"Here, I bought you a soda," Minoru said, walking over to where Keitaro sat and holding the can of Coca-Cola in front of front of his face. Though he wasn't very thirsty, Keitaro took the offered drink and mumbled a short "thank you" as the redhead took a seat in the chair beside him. "So, still no news yet, huh?"

Keitaro shook his head, pulling back the tab on the top of the can and forcing himself to take a sip. The normally sweet liquid left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Where's Miyuki-san?" he asked, noticing the blonde was conspicuously absent from Minoru's side. "I thought she was with you."

"She went to look for a pay phone to call Kondo-sama. Miyuki-san thought he would probably want to know what's going on."

"Oh."

For a moment, Minoru looked as if he wanted to say something else to Keitaro, but instead he shook his head and sighed, unwrapping the candy bar he bought from the vending machine. Silence fell over the two friends as they waited on word of Takara's condition.

At last, the door to the delivery room swung opened, and Dr. Honda stepped out. As the doctor walked toward them, Minoru and Keitaro slowly stood from their chairs, the latter trying to read the older man's expression hidden behind his surgical mask. "Honda-sensei, how is she?" Keitaro asked.

Dr. Honda pulled down his mask, his face as emotionless as it had been before. "There were a few complications immediately following the surgery, Hino-san," the doctor said. "That is why I was not able to talk to you before now. However, we finally did manage to stabilize your wife's condition. Both she and your daughter are currently doing fine."

Keitaro felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders at the doctor's words. Takara had survived. Maybe there was such a thing as luck after all. "May I see Takara?"

"Well, at the moment, Hino-san is still under heavy anesthesia. I would prefer you wait until after she wakes, as she needs her rest. But, if you would like to see your daughter, she has been taken to the nursery just down the hall on the right. You can't miss it."

"Thank you, doctor."

After Dr. Honda left, Minoru turned toward Keitaro, a huge smile on his face. "Hey, congratulations, Papa," he said, patting his shoulder. "See, I told you everything would be alright. I'll go tell Negishi-sama and Yukana-san the good news and see if I can find Miyuki-san while you go to the nursery. I'm sure you're anxious to see your daughter."

Keitaro nodded, not really paying attention to his friend. He had stopped listening after "Papa," finding the word strange to his ears. Was he really a father? Throughout Takara's pregnancy, he never once thought about the baby as a real person. His concerns always lied primarily with Takara's condition, the baby itself almost an afterthought, something that would simply disappear after the nine months were over. But now that the baby was here…

"Keitaro, are you feeling okay?" Minoru asked, noticing his friend's distraction.

"I'm fine, Minoru," Keitaro insisted, shrugging his hand away. "I'm going to the nursery. Tell the others, okay?"

"Sure."

Leaving a slightly bewildered Minoru behind, Keitaro followed Dr. Honda's directions to the nursery, easily finding the large window that allowed visitors to see inside. He stopped in front of the window, gray eyes searching the sea of newborns swathed in blue and pink blankets for his daughter. They paused when they came to the crib right in front of him, labeled with a sign that read HINO REI. Takara must have named her before the nurses put her under anesthesia. She always said if she had a daughter, she would name her Rei.

The baby in the crib appeared a little small compared to the others in nursery, but otherwise strong and healthy. She had dark black hair like her mother and Takara's alabaster skin. Her eyes were still closed, so Keitaro didn't know what color they were, but if he had to take an educated guess, he would say they were probably purple. The child was the spitting image of Takara.

Keitaro sighed, leaning his forehead against the glass as he stared down at his newborn daughter. The nightmare had finally ended. After months of worrying whether or not the pregnancy would put too much strain on Takara's weak heart, it was over, and both she and the baby had survived. It truly was a miracle. But if it was so miraculous, why did he feel so empty inside?

He had just become a father of a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Shouldn't that mean something to him? Shouldn't he feel some sort of bond toward the child? Keitaro didn't know exactly what he expected to feel when he saw Rei for the first time, but certainly something more than the numbness in his heart. The sleeping baby wrapped in the soft pink blanket might as well have been someone else's child and he, a random passerby walking down the street who stopped and cooed for a few minutes before continuing on his way. It wasn't supposed to be like this, was it?

True, he never really wanted the child. His dreams never included parenthood. That was Takara's cherished dream.

He still remembered the crushed look on her face when Dr. Sakamoto advised them not to get pregnant. Though she tried to pretend she didn't mind, he knew the news had devastated her. Becoming a mother had meant everything to her. They talked about adoption every once in awhile, but never very seriously. He hadn't been interested, and Takara, though willing, still wanted a child of her own.

Looking back, Keitaro wondered if he'd shown a little more interest in the topic of adoption, she wouldn't have risked so much to get pregnant. After all the support she had given him to achieve his dreams, especially during his campaigns, he should have supported hers.

It was too late for regrets now, however. Against her doctor's wishes, Takara had gotten pregnant, and while he tried to be supportive during her pregnancy after the first initial shock of learning the news, Keitaro knew on some level he had resented the growing fetus inside her. Maybe that was why he threw himself so heavily into his campaign for governor when he should have taken better care of Takara. That baby represented the two things he never wanted to face: fatherhood and the possibility of losing Takara.

Well, he didn't lose Takara, and now that the baby was here, he was reluctantly warming to the idea of becoming a father. So, why didn't he feel anything? Why did he feel so empty when he looked at Rei?

Maybe being a lousy father who didn't care about his kids ran in the family. It wouldn't surprise Keitaro in the least if he inherited the "cold, heartless bastard" gene from his father. After all, the man he knew as "otou-sama" was the reason he never wanted children in the first place.

Keitaro barely remembered Hino Takeo, but the few memories he did have were hardly pleasant. His father had been a once promising lawyer who fell victim to the bottle after his wife died during childbirth. While alive, Takeo had made no secret of the fact he blamed his son for her death. How many times had that drunk made him cry, throwing that accusation in his face at every possible opportunity? Too many to count. His own father had hated him.

Keitaro's hand involuntarily clenched into a tight fist at the memory. It still pained him to think back on some of the things Takeo said to him during his drunken rages. It was because of him that Keitaro promised himself he wouldn't put his own children through such misery. He thought if he never had kids, he wouldn't be able to hurt them like his father had hurt him.

But Rei… Would he end up hurting her too?

"She's a beautiful baby," a familiar voice said, interrupting Keitaro's thoughts. "You're a lucky man, Keitaro."

Je looked to his right and saw Minoru standing beside him. Keitaro wondered how long he'd been standing there. He hadn't even noticed when the redhead walked over, lost in his own little world.

In response to Minoru's compliment, Keitaro nodded his head. "Rei-san is beautiful, just like her mother," the new father said, his voice emotionless. If Minoru noticed, though, he didn't show it.

"So, how does it feel to be a father, Papa?" he asked, slapping him on the back. "Already making plans to keep her away from guys like me? I can't say I would blame you if you were. I would do the same thing if I were in your position. Rei-chan deserves the best."

Keitaro forced himself to smile. "I think I have a few more years before I have to start worrying about that, Minoru. Let's get her out of diapers first." Crossing his arms, he turned his attention back to the nursery. He purposely ignored answering Minoru's first question, instead deciding to change the subject. "Did you tell everybody the news?"

Minoru nodded. "Everyone was relieved to hear things went so well for both Takara and the baby. Negishi-sama wanted to stay and congratulate you himself, but one of his aides somehow discovered we were at the hospital and called about a press conference they set up on the spur of the moment to answer questions about what happened at the debate. They wanted you there as well, but Negishi-sama wouldn't hear of it. He told me to tell you not to worry, and he would handle the press himself."

The debate… Keitaro had almost forgotten what happened earlier that night. For once, politics was the last thing on his mind. The scene at the debate seemed a hundred light years in the past. He was grateful to Governor Negishi for taking care of it. Keitaro wasn't sure he would be ready to face the blood-thirsty press tonight. Tanaka was probably having a field day with his abrupt withdrawal from the debate.

"Remind me to thank him tomorrow," Keitaro said, glancing down at his watch. He wondered if Takara was awake yet. About an hour had passed since Dr. Honda came out of surgery to tell him the news, so the anesthesia should have almost worn off by now. "I think I'll go down to Takara's room and see if she's awake."

"Bye, Papa," Minoru called out as Keitaro left.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing Takara felt when she opened her drowsy purple eyes was pain. The epidural they gave her before the surgery had finally worn off, leaving behind a horrible ache around her abdominal area. It was made even worse when she tried to sit up in her bed. Takara moaned and squeezed her eyes close as she waited for the worse to pass. _Please, please, go away_ , she prayed.

"Don't try to move any more than you need to," a familiar voice said in a soft tone. "Honda-sensei said it is perfectly normal to feel some pain for the first couple of weeks after a Caesarean, so you shouldn't strain yourself."

"Keitaro?"

Slowly, the pain passed and Takara opened her eyes once again, blinking a couple of times to adjust to the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room. She then turned her head in the direction of the voice and saw her husband sitting in a chair beside her bed, holding her hand. "Keitaro," she repeated.

Keitaro squeezed her hand. "I'm here, Takara," he whispered as if he were afraid to break the silence of the hospital room. "I came as fast as I could."

That's right. He hadn't been with her when she went into labor. Tonight was supposed to be his big night. "I'm sorry I ruined your debate with Tanaka-san."

"It doesn't matter. There will be other debates." Keitaro let go of her hand and reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face. "The important thing is you pulled through."

"I told you I would," Takara quipped with a smile. It was easy to be so confident now that it was over. Though she never would admit it, there were a few times during the ordeal when she thought neither she or the baby would survive. But that didn't matter now.

"Yes, you did."

"And the baby…?" Her smile disappeared. Since she had been under anesthesia during the Caesarean section, Takara didn't yet know the fate of her child. Her heart skipped a beat as she asked the next question. "Did it survive?"

Much to her relief, Keitaro nodded. "Rei-san is small, but healthy," he said.

"Rei-chan…" Her face lit back up as the pure joy of the news sunk in, and she felt her eyes water with tears of happiness. "Oh, Keitaro, we have a daughter. Isn't it wonderful?"

"Yes. I'm happy your dream came true, Takara," he said, giving her a tiny smile.

A nurse chose that moment to knock on the door and enter the room. "Sorry for interrupting," she apologized, "but I'm afraid visiting hours are over, Hino-san. Your wife needs her rest."

"Of course." He gave Takara's hand one last squeeze before standing. "Goodnight, Takara. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Keitaro."

Disappointed Keitaro had to go so soon, Takara watched him leave the room and sighed. The nurse asked her if she needed anything else, to which the new mother answered "no," and then the woman left as well, closing the door behind her after shutting off the light switch.

The only illumination left was the pale glow of the moon shining through her window. Takara carefully situated her body so she could look out the window, ignoring the pain that came from the movement. If she didn't think about it so much, the pain wasn't that bad.

She smiled at the sight outside. The storm from earlier had ended, leaving behind a beautiful midnight sky in its wake. The moon shone regally among its loyal subjects, appearing like a pearl against the darkness of night, and the stars, usually not visible from the city because of all the lights, shimmered even more brightly than diamonds.

"So beautiful and serene," Takara said to herself, her eyelids growing heavy as she felt someone's hand resting on her forehead. She didn't know whose it was, but the touch was surprisingly warm, and the new mother felt her aching body relax. "Miyuki?"

"Shhh, Takara," an ethereal and sweetly high-pitched voice whispered. "Rest now and heal."

Another voice, deeper and more womanly, but no less beautiful than the first, said, "Your job is over now, Takara. We thank you for giving life to our princess."

"Princess…?" Takara repeated, fighting to keep her eyes open so she could focus on the owners of the two voices.

It was a losing battle, however. Takara finally closed her eyes as the women reverted back to their assumed forms and flew away, and the next morning, their visit was nothing more but a forgotten memory.


	6. Dying Embers

Hino Rei was bored. The six-year-old girl placed the red crayon back in its box, having just finished neatly coloring a picture of an apple, and sighed. That was the last picture in her coloring book. Now, what was she supposed to do?

Closing the book, Rei stood from her kneeling position at the coffee table in the living room and proceeded to put her art supplies away. Mrs. Yukana, her nanny, liked things to be neat and orderly, so she always made sure to clean up after she made a mess like a good little girl. Once that was done, Rei plopped down on the couch and started to braid her long raven hair.

"I'm so bored," she moaned to nobody in particular after securing her braid with the ponytail holder she had been wearing around her wrist like a bracelet. The little girl frowned, resting her elbow on the arm of the couch and cupping her chin in her hand. "Nobody wants to play with me tonight."

The Hino family had finished eating dinner about an hour ago, meaning Mrs. Yukana was in the kitchen, tidying up and washing the dirty dishes. Her mother, looking a little more tired than usual, had decided to take a short nap in her bedroom, and her father was working in his study like he always did after they ate. That left Rei by herself with nothing to do until her bedtime.

She briefly considered offering to help Mrs. Yukana with the dishes, but she knew the housekeeper would hear none of that from her beloved "little princess". Knowing her nanny, Mrs. Yukana would probably tell her to go play with her toys or take a bath, neither activity piquing Rei's interest. Why did she have to take a bath anyway? She would just get dirty again tomorrow.

Suddenly hearing her father's voice, Rei turned around in the couch to face the entryway of the living room. The entryway lead to the main hall, and across the hall was her father's office. He'd forgotten to close the door all the way, so some of the light filtered through and illuminated the darkened corridor. His voice was loud and full of authority as she suspected he spoke to somebody on the telephone.

Her father never yelled, but Rei could always tell when he was mad, and he was most definitely mad now. He had a way of speaking that reminded her of a judge in some ways, always in control and commanding respect even when he was angry. Her mother said that was one of the reasons he made such a good leader. He never let his personal emotions get in the way of doing his job.

Curious, like many young children are when they hear one of their parents talking, Rei slid herself off the leather couch and quietly tiptoed over to opened door. She then pushed it open a little wider to give her a better view of what was going on inside, careful not to be seen. Her father didn't like being disturbed while he was working. If he spotted her spying on him, she would probably get into huge trouble. Still, her youthful curiosity got the better of Rei, and she peeked in.

Keitaro sat at his desk in the center of the elegantly decorated room, talking on the phone with someone as she suspected. He was still dressed in the suit he wore to work that morning, but his jacket had been flung carelessly over the top of the chair in front of the desk, and his silk tie hung loose around his neck. The casualness of his attire betrayed him, though. Her father was everything but relaxed as he argued with whoever was on the other end of the line.

"…listen to me, Mihara-san. The only way we are going to handle this strike is by giving into some of their demands. The transportation system is an integral part of Tokyo's infrastructure. Thousands of people depend on the monorail everyday to travel around the city, and we simply cannot afford to have this walkout last any longer. Traffic has been terrible, and businesses are starting to complain of widespread tardiness among their employees… Yes, I know it'll mean some budget cuts for other programs and possibly the salaries of government workers… If we don't do something soon, we aren't going to have a city to run, Mihara-san… Have my secretary set up an appointment with Terada-san tomorrow. I want to see him first thing after lunch… No, I'll look over the new budget proposals and see what I can do… I'll see you tomorrow then, Mihara-san. Goodnight."

After placing the receiver back in its cradle, her father took off his gold wired-rimmed glasses and massaged his right temple, muttering something to himself. Rei couldn't quite understand his words, but she got the distinct feeling they weren't very nice. Her poor father…

 _Being governor of Tokyo must be incredibly tough_ , Rei thought to herself. He always seemed to work so hard. Very rarely did she ever see her father relax. Hino Keitaro was a workaholic in the truest sense of the world. Even at home, after the day was over, he still continued to go over the day's work, virtually barricading himself in his study until all hours of the night. Sometimes he never even made it up to bed. Rei would sometimes come downstairs for breakfast only to see her father coming out of the office, still wearing the same clothes from the day before. She wondered if he even slept.

"Rei-san?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard him say her name. Lost in her own thoughts and concerns about her father, Rei had forgotten where she was. Or more precisely, where she wasn't supposed to be. "Sorry, otou-sama," she apologized with a bow, her eyes lowered as she prepared for his usual lecture on respecting a person's privacy. "I didn't mean to spy on you."

Surprisingly, the lecture never came. Her father simply shook his head, his attention focused more on the stack of papers he was digging through than his eavesdropping daughter. "It's okay, Rei-san. Go play with your dolls," he said off-handedly while he flipped through a file. "Where are those reports? I know I brought them home with me…"

Though she knew she should leave, Rei opened the door even wider and stepped inside. Her father didn't seem to notice her continued presence in the room until she stopped about five feet away from his desk. "Otou-sama, did you lose something?" she asked, wanting to help. "Maybe I can help you look for it. Okaa-sama says I'm really good at finding things."

He briefly glanced up from his pile and put his glasses back on. "I'm sure you are, but it'll be better if I look for the budget proposals myself. Now, go play with your toys. I have a lot of work to do tonight."

"Okay," Rei replied softly as her father resumed his search for the missing papers. "I love you, otou-sama. Good night."

"Good night, Rei-san."

Her eyes saddened somewhat at Keitaro's impersonal good night. He didn't even bother to look at her. It was the same as every other night, still Rei couldn't help but wish he would occasionally say "I love you, too," or give her a kiss on the cheek before she went to bed. She would even settle for a simple "Rei-chan" every once in a while. Just a small gesture of affection, that was all she asked.

Sometimes she felt as if she and her father were complete strangers to each other. He was always so busy with work that she rarely saw him, except during breakfast and dinner, and when they did spend time together, he tended to ignore her. Rei tried her best to be the daughter she thought he wanted, but she was beginning to think no matter what she did, she would never be good enough.

She wiped away a tear and turned to leave, for once glad her father was too engrossed in his work to notice. He continued to search his desk drawers for the missing papers. From the look on his face, he was beginning to become rather frustrated, muttering a few choice words under his breath not meant for young ears. Rei stopped at the door and turned back around, suddenly knowing exactly where the budget proposals were hiding.

"Look in your briefcase, otou-sama," she said.

Her father closed the top drawer of his desk, his stony gray eyes surprised to see Rei still in the office. After he stared at her for a moment, the politician then reached for his briefcase sitting on the floor beside his desk and looked inside. He pulled out a green file folder labeled "Budget Proposals".

"Is that it?" Rei asked, unable to read the kanji.

He nodded as he closed the briefcase and started looking over one of the papers in the file. Glad that she could help, Rei smiled and decided to leave so her father could get his work done in peace.

"Rei-san?"

She glanced back toward her father when she heard her name, a glimmper of hope in her eyes. "Yes, otou-sama?"

"Thanks," he said, after a brief pause.

"Oh." The glimmer disappeared, and Rei sighed as she turned to leave. Maybe she was asking too much. "Do your best, otou-sama."

Then she left, quietly closing the door shut behind her.

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Later that night, as Takara tucked Rei into bed, she sensed something was troubling her daughter. Rei had been unusually quiet ever since Takara woke from her nap and informed the little girl it was bedtime. She didn't even complain when Takara told her to take a bath like she normally did. It wasn't like her.

After pulling the sakura-printed blanket up around her daughter's shoulders, Takara brushed back Rei's bangs and placed a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. She didn't appear to have a fever, but her behavior concerned Takara just the same. "Rei-chan, are you feeling okay?" she asked. "Do you have a tummy ache?"

Rei shook her head. "I feel fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, okaa-sama."

Takara pursed her lips together, not believing her daughter for a second. Call it mother's instinct, but she knew something was wrong. Rei's normally bright violet eyes were dull and sorrowful, and her usual smile hid behind a small frown. Perhaps something had happened during her nap. "Did Yukana-san chastise you for being bad?"

Again, the little girl shook her head, hugging her favorite teddy bear close to her body. "No, okaa-sama. I'm tired, that's all."

"Okay," Takara said, giving her daughter a small smile. She still thought something was bothering Rei, but she wasn't going to force her to talk about it if she didn't want to. She bent over to kiss Rei softly on her forehead before she stood from her seat on the edge of the bed. "I'll let you sleep, then. I love you, Rei-chan. Good night."

"I love you, too. Good night, okaa-sama."

Takara turned off the small lamp beside Rei's bed, then turned to leave, surprised when she felt a small tug on the bottom of her skirt. "Okaa-sama?" Rei's voice said in the darkness.

Turning the lamp back on, Takara sat down beside her daughter and reached for the hand Rei offered. "Yes, Rei-chan? What is it?

"Does otou-sama love me?"

Stunned by the question, Takara didn't know quite what to say. She wondered what brought up such a topic. "Sweetie, of course your father loves you," she finally answered. "He loves the both of us very, very much."

"But he never tells me he loves me, or hugs me, or gives me kisses…" Rei said, her voice trailing off.

Takara sighed. It was true Keitaro never had been very affectionate toward their daughter. In fact, most people would say he was downright cold sometimes, but she knew in her heart he loved Rei. How could he not? She was his daughter, his own flesh and blood. He just didn't know how to express his love, that's all.

"Rei-chan, I know your father can seem rather distant, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. It's just the way he is. He doesn't like to show his emotions very often."

"Oh, I see," The little girl snuggled deeper under her blanket, giving her teddy bear a hug. Her eyes still seemed a little sad, but Rei forced a small smile on her face as Takara gave her another kiss good night.

"Now, go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Takara turned off the lights and exited the room, taking one last peek at her yawning daughter before quietly closing the door behind her. She then went downstairs to tell her husband good night. Finding the door to Keitaro's study closed, she lightly knocked, surprised when she got no answer.

"Keitaro?"

She pushed the door open and peeked inside. If Keitaro noticed she was there, he didn't show it. He was busy punching numbers in a calculator, occasionally stopping to mark something on his paper with a pencil or to mumble something to himself. It was obvious he was hard at work, so Takara decided it would be best not to disturb him. She began to close the door when she heard him say her name.

"Takara? Is that you?"

Takara stepped inside as he glanced up from his work. "Oh, Keitaro, I didn't want to bother you," she said. "I can see you're busy."

Keitaro gave her a small smile, setting down his pencil. "You're not being a bother," he assured her. Taking off his glasses, he pinched the bridge of his nose and blinked a couple of times. "I needed to take a break anyway. All these numbers are starting to give me a headache."

"You've been working too hard again." Takara walked up behind his chair, resting her hands on his shoulders. His muscles were tenser than usual. "When was the last time you had a full night's sleep?"

"I'm fine," he insisted. "This transportation strike situation should be settled soon. I'm meeting with Terada-san tomorrow, and hopefully we'll finally come to an agreement on these budget issues. After that, things should be back to normal."

Takara frowned. Normal for Keitaro wasn't exactly healthy either. Even when he wasn't dealing with massive strikes, the governor of Tokyo kept a fairly hectic schedule, leaving very little time to spend with his family. It bothered her at first when he won the election soon after Rei's birth, but she eventually grew accustomed to the late hours he worked. She knew it was his most cherished dream to make his late uncle proud.

Still, she sometimes found herself looking back on their first years of marriage with wistful longing. There was a reason people called it the "honeymoon period". They had their share of occasional arguments, of course, but for the most part, it had been a blissful time.

All that changed when she told him she was pregnant and he announced he was running for the governor's seat. It wasn't a sudden change, like a light being switched off, but more subtle in nature. She first noticed it during her pregnancy, though she tried her best to ignore it. She attributed the missed doctor's appointments and general disinterest to his busy campaign and assumed once the baby was born and the campaign over, things would go back to the way they used to be, with a few minor changes. Nothing they couldn't handle.

But apparently she was a little too optimistic. After Rei's birth, Keitaro pulled himself even further away. Takara always knew he was a workaholic, but she never thought it would become so bad. He was so distant now. It really shouldn't have been such a surprise to hear Rei ask if her father loved her, now that Takara thought about it.

Wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, Takara's eyes saddened as she remembered the look on their daughter's face when she asked the question that now lingered in her mind. "Keitaro?"

"Hmmm?" He didn't look up, already back to work on the budget proposals.

"Do you love us?" she asked after a short pause. "Me and Rei-chan?

Takara felt her heart pound against her chest as she waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to answer. When he did, Keitaro dropped his pencil and rotated in his chair to face her. "What brought this subject up, Takara?" he asked, not providing the answer Takara was expecting.

"Tonight… Well, when I was tucking Rei-chan in bed, she asked me if you loved her," Takara finally said, her voice slightly stuttering. "Of course, I said you did, but -"

"Rei-san is just being silly," he interrupted her, brushing off her concerns as if they were nothing more than pieces of lint on one of his Italian suits. "Now, if you don't mind, I really do need to get back to work. Mihara-san is expecting these new figures tomorrow morning."

With those words, Keitaro turned his chair back around and resumed his work. His unspoken message was clear. The conversation was over.

After a few moments of standing behind Keitaro in silence, Takara kissed the top of his head. "I'll let you work, then," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Try not to stay up too late, though. You need your rest."

He nodded. "I won't."

"I love you, Keitaro. Good night."

"Good night, Takara."

Quietly, Takara slipped out of the office and into the dark hall. Keitaro didn't even seem to notice she had left. When she took one last peek inside before closing the door, he was once again punching numbers into his calculator as if he never had been interrupted.

Takara sighed, leaning against the cream-colored walls as she pulled herself into an embrace. It suddenly felt so cold, though the winter had long since passed and gone. She hugged herself even tighter, struggling not to release the tears that threatened to fall.

"Keitaro, who are you?" she whispered. "Where has the real you gone?"

Hearing the grandfather clock in the living room strike nine, Takara headed down the hall to the staircase, suddenly wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed and cry herself to sleep. She dashed up the stairs two at a time, nearly tripping over her own two feet as her vision was blinded by her salty tears. How could he act so cold toward her? Didn't Keitaro love her anymore?

"Hino-sama, is something wrong?" Mrs. Yukana inquired as the two crossed paths on the stairwell. The kind housekeeper had been heading downstairs for a late night snack when she spotted the distraught woman and reached for Takara's arm, forcing her to stop. "You're crying, dear."

Takara shook her head, wiping away some of the tears with the palm of her hand. "I don't want to talk about it. It's nothing."

"It certainly doesn't look like it's nothing. What is it?"

"Please, I want to go to bed," Takara pleaded. "Don't ask any more questions, Yukana-san. I just want to be alone for a while, okay? Good night."

Mrs. Yukana didn't seemed convinced, but she reluctantly let go of the loose grip on her mistress's arm and allowed Takara to continue upstairs to her bedroom.

Once inside, Takara quickly undressed and changed into her nightgown, not bothering with her usual nightly beauty routine. Long hair unbound and face unwashed, she switched off the main light in the room before sitting down on her side of the empty bed. A small lamp sat on the night table beside her, which she turned on, its dim glow giving off only enough illumination to see the assorted items scattered around it on the table, and Takara reached for a tissue from a nearby box to blot away her tears.

"I'm being silly," she said to herself, sniffling once she managed to calm down. Takara began wringing the damp tissue with her hands, twisting it so it was like a rope around her slender fingers. "Keitaro is busy dealing with the strike. I shouldn't have bothered him with my questions. He was probably just distracted by his work, that's all…"

Even as Takara said that, though, she knew they were nothing but excuses. She had become quite the pro at doing that lately. It was the only way she knew how to deal with Keitaro's ever growing coldness toward his family. Making excuses was better than facing the truth.

But what exactly was the truth? Takara had been asking herself that very question for weeks - no, months, maybe even years, if she was truly honest with herself - and had yet to come up with a suitable answer. Or maybe she did have the answer and was too afraid to admit it…

The Keitaro downstairs working in his study was not the Keitaro she fell in love with that night on the beach. They shared some similarities, most notably their workaholic natures, but the new Keitaro lacked the old's tenderness - a tenderness that might have been rarely shown, but always there in his eyes. Takara saw no such tenderness in the new one's gray eyes, only coldness. A stony wall blocking the window to his soul.

He was gradually pushing her away, had been pushing her away ever since Rei's birth nearly seven years ago. Takara could see that now.

But why? That was the thing she didn't understand. What had changed? The obvious answer was Keitaro being elected governor of Tokyo, but for some reason, she didn't believe that to be the correct conclusion. It felt to her as if he was using his job as an excuse for his behavior, rather than being the cause of it.

Another woman? It was hardly a secret that many politicians took mistresses while in office - secretaries, interns, sometimes opponents' wives. From what she heard from Negishi's second wife, a former secretary herself, the practice was almost expected of them.

Takara shook her head. Keitaro would never do something like that. His faith in Christianity was too strong to ever allow him to do such a thing as to break their wedding vows. Besides, she had met his dowdy secretary before. Miss Katsuki was efficient in her job, but hardly a looker.

The only other reason she could imagine to explain his behavior was the one thing Takara refused to believe, even if Keitaro hadn't answered her question when she asked him about it. Her mind simply could not comprehend the idea that...no. She couldn't even put her worst fear into words.

He still loved her; she had to believe that.

She had to believe that.

Wiping away another batch of tears that had somehow fallen with a clean tissue, Takara reached over to turn off the lamp. It was pointless to keep torturing herself like this. However, just before she touched the lamp, her watery eyes fell upon a framed drawing hanging on the wall. It was obviously sketched by a childish hand, the stick figures crudely drawn and colored. Forgetting about the light, Takara lifted the picture from its hook and smiled as she remembered the day Rei had drawn it for her.

 

_"Okaa-sama, look!"_

_Distracted from her reading by her four-year-old daughter's plea for attention, Takara placed a bookmark in between the pages she had been reading and set the closed book down on the end table beside the couch. In front of her, an adorable little sprite with the smile of an angel stood, her purple eyes bright and innocent. The young mother smiled, not really minding the interruption. She always had time for her Rei-chan._

_"What is it, sweetie?" she asked the little girl as Rei crawled on her lap._

_"I drew a picture for you! Here."_

_Rei proudly showed her the drawing she had been so diligently working on for the past hour, the artwork quite good for someone of her age. Of course, Takara was admittedly biased when it came to anything her daughter did. The picture showed a group of three stick-figure women standing outside a large house and a group of skyscrapers in the distance. One of the women was significantly shorter than the other two, representing Rei, and she was holding hands with the woman with long black hair and purple eyes beside her. Takara deduced that was supposed to be her. The last woman had gray hair pulled back in a bun and she wore a frilly apron over her triangle-shaped dress like Mrs. Yukana, Rei's nanny, always wore._

_"It's beautiful, Rei-chan," Takara said, giving her daughter a hug. "Is this a family portrait?"_

_The little girl nodded, pointing to each of the stick-figures as she confirmed Takara's guesses on each of the women's identities. "See, there's me, you, and Yukana-san. And that's our house."_

_"But where is your father?" Takara asked, noticing that one member of the family was significantly missing. Keitaro was nowhere to be seen. "Did you forget to put him on there?"_

_Rei pointed to the buildings on the right side of the page. "No, he's there, but he's at work. See? That's Tokyo. He's inside, so we can't see him now."_

_Takara chuckled at the little girl's explanation for her father's absence and ruffled Rei's hair._

_"Oh, I see… Very appropriate. Thank you, Rei-chan. Let's find a picture frame and hang it on the wall…"_

_Very appropriate, indeed_ , she thought sadly as a tear splattered on the glass of the frame.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Keitaro was awakened by the golden rays of the morning sun passing through one of the windows and falling on his slumbering figure. He groaned as he slowly opened his eyes to the world, the bright light almost blinding him. Where was he?

Blinking a couple of times to adjust to the now not so bright sunshine, Keitaro sat up, his back muscles sore from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position. Instead of his bed, he was sitting in a leather chair behind a neatly organized desk. "I must have fallen asleep in the office again," he mumbled, reaching for his glasses sitting on top of a stack of completed paperwork.

It wasn't an unusual occurrence for Keitaro. Oftentimes he would wake up in the morning only to find himself either sleeping at his desk or on the sofa located against the far wall of the office. It wasn't the most luxurious way to get a good night's rest, but over the years, he'd gotten used to it. Now, it was almost second nature.

Putting on his glasses, Keitaro stretched and rolled his shoulders and neck, trying to work out a few lingering kinks in his muscles. The soreness wasn't too bad though. Most likely the pain would disappear by the time he got to work.

Keitaro then reached for the budget proposal folder and flipped through the papers inside. It took him almost until two o'clock in the morning, but he had finally worked out what he hoped would be a suitable compromise. If things went well with Mr. Terada this afternoon, the transportation strike that had plagued downtown Tokyo for the past couple of weeks would be over by Monday morning. He glanced over the figures one more time with satisfaction before putting the folder, along with some other important paperwork, back in his briefcase.

The antique grandfather clock standing in the corner of the office chimed the new hour, and Keitaro glanced up. It was earlier than he expected, though he could already smell the fresh aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen. Somebody - most likely Mrs. Yukana - was preparing breakfast. Deciding he should freshen up a little bit before they ate, Keitaro left the office and went upstairs to change out of yesterday's suit.

Takara was still asleep when he slipped into their bedroom after washing up. Not wanting to disturb her, Keitaro quietly grabbed one of his suits from the closet and began to dress.

However, he couldn't help but to stare at his slumbering wife as he recalled the question she asked him last night. He didn't think much of it at the time, too caught up in his work to care, but seeing the small wad of tissues sitting on the nightstand beside the bed made him pause. Had Takara been crying?

Keitaro tossed aside a rejected tie and instead took a seat on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb her too much. The mattress shifted underneath his added weight, but other than a short moan, Takara appeared to remain unaware of his presence. That brought a small smile to his face. Takara could sleep through almost anything if she tried hard enough.

At first, he simply looked at her, mildly concerned when he saw how skinny she had become. Takara always had been on the skinny side, giving the impression of a fragile porcelain doll that could break with the slightest touch, but she now appeared almost anorexic. Her appearance shocked him. Why hadn't he noticed it until today? Surely she didn't lose ten pounds overnight. Had he really been that preoccupied with his work he couldn't see such an alarming change in Takara's looks? He didn't even bother dignifying that last question with an answer. Keitaro knew his schedule, especially as of late, didn't leave him much time to spend with his family.

"Oh, Takara," he whispered, lightly caressing her pale cheek with his thumb. "I…"

The alarm clock beeping on the nightstand interrupted Keitaro before he could complete his sentence. He pulled his hand away as if he had touched a simmering pot on the stove and shook his head. Not now.

By the time Takara opened her sleepy violet eyes, Keitaro had moved from his spot sitting on the bed and had begun looking for another tie on his tie rack. He finally selected a red one, throwing it around his neck before he turned around to see Takara reaching for her robe laying at the foot of the bed. "Good morning, Takara."

"Morning," she replied in a soft voice. Takara glanced over to the other side of the bed and saw it had not been slept in. "You never came to bed last night, did you?"

Keitaro shook his head, expertly knotting his tie. "I slept in the office. It was late when I finally finished working on those budget proposals, and I didn't want to bother you."

"Oh."

It was funny how many different ways that simple little interjection could be taken, depending on what tone the speaker used. It could be an "oh" of surprise, of indifference, of embarrassment, or of anger. Takara's tone was of none of those, however. Her voice quivered with disappointment.

Keitaro knew he should have said something, but he didn't know what, so he continued to dress as Takara got out of bed. He watched his wife pull her robe over her nightgown and sit down at the vanity, amethyst eyes staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed the knots out of her long raven hair. The distance between them was undeniable. They might as well have been two strangers sharing a hotel room. Keitaro turned his gaze away from his wife, not wanting to think about their problems. He knew it was mostly his fault.

However, after Keitaro finished putting on a handsome pair of jade cuff links, he unconsciously found himself walking toward the vanity, stopping right behind Takara's chair. His wife jumped, startled when he rested his hands on her slender shoulders, and put her brush back down on the vanity table.

"Keitaro…" Takara said, preferring to look at his reflection in the mirror rather than to turn around to face him. She continued staring straight ahead, her eyes dull and lifeless.

"Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" Keitaro asked, the words falling out of his mouth before he could even think the idea over.

It pleased him, though, when he saw the slightest twitch of a smile on Takara's lips. "Dinner?" she repeated, finally craning her neck to look up at him. "We haven't been out to eat in ages. What is the occasion?"

Keitaro shrugged. "No real reason," he said. "I just thought it would be nice. Maybe we could invite Miyuki-san and her husband or Minoru and his girlfriend-of-the-month to come with us, if you wanted."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Keitaro," Takara replied, her face brightening as her lips curled into a full-blown smile. She reached for the hand resting on her left shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "I'll ask Miyuki if she and Watanabe-san can make it tonight when she comes over this afternoon."

"Good, then it's a date. I'll make reservations at _Umi's_ for eight o'clock. Does that sound fine to you?"

"It sounds perfect."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watanabe Miyuki, formerly Asaka, arrived at the Hino manor promptly at two o'clock, right on schedule for her weekly visit. Every Saturday, she and Takara liked to get together for tea and exchange news and gossip. Since it was one of the few times they could get together due to her busy schedule as a middle school history teacher, Miyuki always looked forward to their visits, and today was no exception.

Walking up to the entrance, she shifted the small gift she had brought to her left arm and rang the doorbell. Inside, she heard the sound of a little girl shouting "I'll get it!" while an older woman sternly, but affectionately, told the "hime-chan" to mind her manners. Miyuki smiled in amusement, and a few seconds later, the front door opened.

"Good afternoon, Watanabe-san," the black-haired girl said, bowing politely as she had been taught to do. "Please come in."

"Good afternoon, Rei-chan." Miyuki stepped inside the house and into the hall, where she took off her shoes and slipped into a pair of guest slippers. "Where is your mother?"

Rei's nanny walked up behind the girl, placing a wrinkled hand on top of her adorable charge's head. "Hino-sama has just awakened from her nap, but she should be down shortly, Watanabe-san," Mrs. Yukana answered for the child, who was currently eyeing the wrapped gift in Miyuki's arm with much interest. No doubt she could smell the pleasing aroma of freshly made chocolate chip cookies coming from the closed box. "Hime-chan, why don't you go tell your mother Watanabe-san is here?"

Rei nodded. "Okay, Yukana-san!"

The two women watched the pixie run off in the direction of the stairs, Miyuki chuckling as Mrs. Yukana told her to slow down before she hurt herself. Rei slowed her run to a fast walk, but as soon as she was out of their line of sight, they heard her speed up once again as she ascended the staircase. The elderly housekeeper shook her head. "That girl…" she muttered, though it was obvious by the loving tone in her voice that Mrs. Yukana was just teasing.

"Rei-chan is very much like Takara was at that age," Miyuki said. "If I didn't know better, I would swear she was her mother's clone."

Mrs. Yukana nodded in agreement. "Yes, Hime-chan does take a lot after her mother, but sometimes, I see bits of my Keitaro-chan in her as well." She paused, her eyes suddenly full of sadness. "Especially in their need for…"

The housekeeper's voice trailed off when they heard two pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs. Miyuki was tempted to ask Mrs. Yukana what she was about to say, but the woman shook her head as if to say "never mind" and called to her mistress when Takara's willowy figure came into sight. "Hino-sama, where would you like to serve tea today?" she asked, looking up at the staircase. "In the living room?"

Takara shook her head, letting go of an impatient Rei's hand to let her daughter run ahead down the steps. "Why don't we have tea on the veranda?" she suggested, her hand tightly gripping the rail of the staircase as she slowly made her way downstairs. "It's such a beautiful spring day. It would be shame to waste it inside, don't you think?"

"As you wish. Come, Hime-chan." With a bow in Takara's direction, Mrs. Yukana took Rei's hand and lead the girl to the kitchen to help prepare tea, leaving the two long-time friends to speak in private.

Miyuki, thinking her friend looked paler than usual, pursed her lips together as she waited for Takara to finish the last few stairs. Her appearance, to say the least, concerned her. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come today. Takara was obviously in no condition to receive visitors. She looked like she needed rest, not conversation and cookies. "Takara, are you sure you feel up to tea?" Miyuki asked as Takara reached the bottom of the stairs. "You look tired. Maybe I should leave and let you go back to bed. I can always come over some other time."

"Don't be ridiculous," Takara replied with a breezy smile. "I feel fine. In fact, I feel better than fine. I feel wonderful."

"B-But…"

"No buts, Miyuki." Takara wagged a finger at Miyuki with her right hand, the other hand on her hip. "You are not ruining my perfect day. I won't let you."

Miyuki raised an eyebrow. "Perfect day, huh? What is so great about today?" she asked, somewhat curious. "Oh, and I bought you a gift."

Takara winked, taking the offered hostess present. "I'll tell you over tea. Now, come. Let's go out to the veranda. We have so much to talk about, and whatever is in this box smells absolutely delicious. Chocolate chip cookies from the bakery downtown, right? You know they're my favorite. Thanks. They'll be a perfect snack to have with our tea."

Against her better judgment, Miyuki followed Takara back outside onto the veranda surrounding the bottom floor of the house and took a seat at the small table set up just for such an occasion. While Takara did look tired and pale, Miyuki did have to admit she looked happier than she had in quite a long time. There was a twinkle in her amethyst eyes and a smile on her lips that had long remained hidden underneath fatigue and depression. It was nice to see her so genuinely happy for a change. For the past couple of months or so, Miyuki sensed Takara had been wearing a mask of sorts, pretending everything was fine when it was obvious everything was not. Today, however, she felt she was seeing a peek of the real Takara, albeit a little skinnier than she remembered.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Yukana and Rei reappeared on the porch, the older woman carrying a heavy tray in her hands. The little girl ran off when she saw a freshly raked pile of sakura blossoms in the middle of the yard while the housekeeper set the tray down on the table and began pouring two glasses of tea for her mistress and Miyuki. Mrs. Yukana then went back into the house after they assured her they didn't need anything else.

"So, what are you so happy about?" Miyuki asked after Mrs. Yukana left. She took a sip of the liquid as she waited for her friend to answer. When she didn't, too occupied with watching Rei playing in the pile of blossoms, Miyuki rolled her eyes and reached across the table to tap Takara's hand. Apparently, some things never changed. She was as dreamy as ever. "Uh, Takara… Earth to Takara!"

"Hmmm?" The young mother turned her attention back to Miyuki, a soft smile on her lips. "Oh, sorry, Miyuki. I was taking a trip down memory lane for a second, watching Rei-chan play in the sakura blossoms. Remember when we were little and you and I would help otou-san rake the petals around Hikawa every spring?"

Miyuki laughed. "What do you mean you 'helped'? If I remember correctly, all you wanted to do was jump in the piles Kondo-sama and I made and make a bigger mess than before. I hardly call that helping."

"True," Takara admitted, her eyes once again looking over at her daughter, "but it was fun." She sighed, grabbing a cookie from the open box and setting it down on her plate. "Now, what were you asking before?"

"I was wondering why you were so happy today," Miyuki repeated. "I must say I haven't seen you this excited since my wedding back in December. It's nice to see you really smile again, Takara, and not those fake smiles you've been giving me lately."

Stirring her glass of tea with a spoon, Takara suddenly found the swirls on the surface of the green liquid much more fascinating than the sympathetic look on her friend's face. "They weren't fake…"

Miyuki reached across the table to place a comforting hand over her friend's. She wished Takara would tell her what was weighing so heavily on her mind lately. Every time she brought the subject up, Takara would insist everything was perfectly fine and plaster one of those stupid, fake smiles on her face. Those smiles weren't fooling anybody, least of all her best friend since diapers, and Miyuki was getting tired of her denying something was wrong.

"You know you don't have to put on a brave face with me, Takara. Something has been bothering you, hasn't it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Takara said, pulling her hand away to break her cookie in half. "Nothing has been bothering me."

"Please stop saying that," Miyuki begged. "I know you, Takara, and you haven't been acting like yourself lately. Something is wrong." She paused, feeling her pulse quicken as a thought hit her. "Is it your heart? Did Sakamoto-sensei tell you something that you've been keeping from us?"

She breathed a sigh of relief when Takara shook her head. "No, that's not it," she said. "Sakamoto-sensei said I was doing fine at my last appointment, though he was a little concerned about my weight loss."

"But you do admit something has been worrying you, though, right? You said 'that's not it,' implying that 'it' is something else."

Takara made a face, realizing her mistake. Miyuki probably would have laughed if she weren't so concerned. She again reached for Takara's hand, surprised by how light and bony it felt. "Please, tell me," Miyuki said. "I want to know."

"It's nothing much, really," Takara finally replied, once she realized she had no choice but to tell the truth. "It's just… Well, Keitaro has been working very hard these last few months. I mean, harder than usual, and we've been drifting apart. To be completely truthful, he's been rather distant ever since Rei-chan's birth, but I didn't realize it until I saw you and Watanabe-san get married. I saw how much in love you two were, and I guess I was a little jealous."

"Oh, Takara…" Miyuki murmured. She had no idea. "I'm so sorry."

Takara laughed, breaking the serious mood. "Don't apologize, Miyuki," she said. "It's fine, now. I think things are going to get better between us. That's why I'm so happy today. This morning, Keitaro told me he was going to take us out to dinner at Umi's tonight and he said I could invite you and Watanabe-san to come with us. So, can you come?"

"I don't think we have any other plans tonight," Miyuki answered, mentally going through their schedules in her head. She was glad to hear things were going well between Takara and Keitaro again. Though she never mentioned it to Takara, Miyuki had suspected they were having a few problems when Keitaro failed to attend the wedding because of an important meeting. "But are you sure you and Keitaro-san don't want to have dinner by yourselves? Kazuya and I wouldn't want to impose on a romantic reconciliation."

"You won't be imposing. In fact, Keitaro said he wanted to invite Minoru-san and his girlfriend along as well."

At the mention of Keitaro's friend's name, Miyuki almost choked on the cookie she had in her mouth. "Minoru-san?" she managed to squeak after she took a large gulp of tea to wash down the cookie.

Takara burst into a peal of laughter at her reaction. "Yes, Minoru-san," she repeated. "Why? Is that a problem?"

Embarrassed by making such a big deal over such a minor thing, Miyuki blushed a bright red. Takara still didn't know what had happened between the two of them the hour before her wedding, and she intended to keep it that way. There were some things not even Takara needed to know about. Just thinking about it made her…

"No, of course not!" she insisted, shaking her head vehemently. "Don't be silly, Takara. Why would that be a problem?"

Takara's eyes narrowed into slits as she leaned over the table, looking at her friend with suspicion. "Oh, I don't know…" she drawled. Miyuki could tell Takara was enjoying watching her squirm. It wasn't often she was given the chance to turn the tables on her. "Why don't you tell me? You've been avoiding Minoru-san like a case of the plague ever since your wedding to Watanabe-san. Don't even try to deny it," she said when she noticed Miyuki opening her mouth in denial.

"I haven't been avoiding him…exactly," she said, unable to flat-out lie to her best friend. "I just haven't seen him lately. That's all."

It was the truth, in a way. It wasn't as if she wouldn't talk to Minoru if she happened to see him walking down the street or eating in a restaurant. She wasn't the kind of person who would ignore an old friend if she saw him and give him the cold shoulder. On the other hand, she didn't actively go out of her way to find him either. And the fact that she always seemed to come down with a sore throat or a headache whenever she knew there was a possibility she would run into him was purely coincidental. Actually, now that she thought about it, her throat was feeling a little scratchy today…

"He loves you, you know," Takara said softly, breaking the silence between them. "Ever since the day he brought Keitaro to Hikawa to buy those good luck charms, he has loved you."

Miyuki's eyes widened in surprise before she smiled and stirred the surface of her tea with her finger. "I know," she whispered, remembering his words on that fateful day. They were permanently engraved in her memory and in her heart. "But for me… It's Kazuya."

"So, will you come tonight?"

Miyuki nodded as Rei, bored with playing in the sakura blossoms, ran over and hopped on her mother's lap. "Yes, we'll come."

"Good."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting at the bar of the high-end restaurant where they occasionally met for lunch, Minoru glanced down at his watch, wondering why Keitaro was so late. Tardiness wasn't usually his style. More often than not, Keitaro was the one kept waiting at the bar while Minoru made his rounds around the restaurant, greeting business associates and flirting with the beautiful waitresses. Chuckling to himself, he swiveled his barstool around to face the entrance of the room. _There is a first time for everything_ , he supposed.

"Another tea, Uchizawa-san?" the bartender asked, reaching for the empty glass on the countertop.

Minoru nodded, his attention caught by an attractive brunette waitress passing by. She must have been a new girl, because Minoru didn't recall seeing her before. He wondered briefly if she was seeing anybody before turning back around. "Yes, please," he replied.

"Ah, I see you noticed Tomoyo-san. Wednesday was her first day on the job," the bartender informed him with a grin, reading his mind. Apparently, Minoru's reputation proceeded him. The man placed another glass of green tea in front of Minoru and began wiping the old one clean. "Pretty, isn't she? I would ask her out myself if I wasn't afraid she was like the others."

"The others?"

"You know, only working here with the hopes of landing a rich husband, or at least becoming some important man's mistress. That's the reason why most of the girls apply for jobs here, you know. That, and the big tips."

Minoru couldn't disagree with the bartender's rather cynical view of the waitresses' intentions. He'd dated quite a few girls he met at the restaurant, and most, if not all, were only interested his modest wealth. Still, he had a good vibe about Tomoyo. She seemed genuinely sweet. "You should ask her out," he advised the lovesick bartender. "Take a chance. She just might be the one."

The other man raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were interested in her, Uchizawa-san. Why would you be telling me to go after Tomoyo-san?"

"Let's just say I have a good feeling about the two of you," Minoru answered with a wink. "Far be it for me to stand in the way of true love."

"Gee, thanks. Maybe I will."

 _Besides, I've already found the one_ , Minoru thought to himself as he watched the young man approach Tomoyo. Taking a sip of his tea, his thoughts turned toward a certain chocolate-eyed blonde, who, even now, occupied a large part of his heart.

Miyuki had been avoiding him ever since the "incident," not that he really blamed her. It was stupid of him to make such a confession right before her wedding to another man. Minoru still didn't understand exactly why he did it when he already knew she didn't reciprocate his feelings. Her heart belonged to another, and as much as Minoru wanted to hate his rival for her affections, he couldn't. Watanabe Kazuya was a good man, and he made Miyuki happy. If she was happy, then that was all that mattered, no matter how much pain it might have cost him.

Minoru didn't regret telling her, though. Love was something he would never regret. He was glad he finally told Miyuki how he felt, even if she didn't feel the same about him. At least now he wouldn't spend the rest of his life wondering, "What if?"

"Sorry I'm late, Minoru," a familiar voice said, bringing him back to the real world. The owner of the voice sat down on the stool beside him and ordered a tea from another bartender. "Traffic is horrendous out there."

Minoru laughed heartily. To say the traffic in downtown Tokyo was horrendous was the understatement of the year. "No kidding, Keitaro. I was a few minutes late myself. When is this transportation nightmare going to end?"

"Well, if my meeting with Secretary Terada-san goes well today, I'm hoping by Monday," the governor replied, not finding the situation particularly funny. "We're supposed to go over the new budget I am proposing during the special session of the Assembly on the seventeenth."

"Do you want me to take a look over those numbers for you real quick?" Minoru might have been a slacker in most of his classes during college, but the one subject he never had a problem understanding was math. He had a head for money and numbers that impressed even his studious, hard-working friend on occasion.

Keitaro shook his head, massaging his right temple. "No, that's not necessary. The math's correct. I stayed up until two this morning triple-checking all the calculations."

"It shows," he commented, noticing the faint circles underneath Keitaro's sleep-deprived eyes. His appearance reminded Minoru of all the times in college when Keitaro would hold all-night study sessions while he went out partying. "When was the last time you slept in your own bed instead of the study?"

"That obvious?" Keitaro sighed, wrapping his hands around the glass of tea the bartender sat in front of him. He didn't take a drink, though, looking down at his reflection on the surface of the green liquid. "My schedule has been rather hectic the last few weeks because of the strike, but it's nothing I can't handle. I knew when I took the oath of office it would mean long hours and hard work. I'm fine."

"But what about Takara-san and Rei-chan?"

Keitaro glanced up at the question. "What about them?" he asked. "Why do you ask?"

Minoru shrugged, a little bit surprised by the defensive tone in his friend's voice. It was just an innocent question. "No reason. It's just that it must be hard for them, with you always working and all. That's all. You said it yourself before that the world of politics is no place to raise a family."

His eyes seemed to darken. "It's not," Keitaro said. He took a small sip of his drink before continuing. "I know Takara wishes I was home more. Things have been strained between us lately, even more than usual. Last night…"

"What?" Minoru asked when Keitaro suddenly stopped before completing the sentence. His friend looked lost in thought, his gray eyes staring off into space. "What happened last night?"

Keitaro shook his head. "It's nothing," he said. "Takara understands how important my job is too me. She's been nothing but supportive."

"That she is," Minoru agreed. "Takara-san adores you."

That comment provoked a small smile on Keitaro's face. "Sometimes I think she loves me too much," he said mostly to himself, though Minoru managed to catch most of the words. He frowned, confused by what Keitaro meant, but before he could inquire more, Keitaro pushed his glass away and stood from his stool. "I really should head back to the office now. I don't want to be late for the meeting with Terada-san."

"So soon?" Minoru checked the time. According to his watch, they'd only been speaking for about five minutes. "But we haven't been seated yet. Can't you at least stay for appetizers?"

"I'm afraid not, although that does remind me of something I meant to ask you," Keitaro said as he signaled the bartender for the bill. "Takara and I were wondering if you and a date would like to join us for dinner tonight, along with Miyuki-san and Watanabe-san. The reservation is for eight at _Umi's_."

Minoru's eyes widened at the mention of Miyuki's name. "Miyuki and her husband are coming as well?"

Keitaro nodded. "As far as I know, they are," he said, giving his friend a strange look as he signed the bill. "And when did you start referring to Miyuki-san in such a familiar fashion?"

"We're good friends, so why shouldn't I?" Minoru quickly replied, hoping Keitaro didn't notice the faint blush crawling across his cheeks. He decided to change the subject before Keitaro could ask any more questions. "Anyway, dinner sounds great. I don't know if I'll be able to find a date on such short notice, but I'll try."

Keitaro laughed, his mood lightening for the first time that afternoon. "I highly doubt getting a date for dinner will be that difficult a task for the great Uchizawa Minoru."

"You'd be surprised, Keitaro. I'll see you tonight. Good luck with the meeting."

"Thanks."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keitaro arrived back at his office twenty minutes later, thanks to the still horrible traffic in downtown Tokyo, only to have his secretary inform him Terada was also running late for their meeting. He told the dowdy brunette to send Terada in as soon as the Secretary of Transportation arrived, then entered his private office.

Taking a seat behind the large oak desk in the center of the room, Keitaro reached over for some of the paperwork sitting in his "To Do" tray, intending to get some work done before the meeting. There was no point in twiddling his thumbs while he waited for Terada to show. However, his attention soon drifted from the proposals to the single picture frame sitting on the edge of his desk.

The frame contained their family portrait. Takara had insisted they take one a couple of years ago to send out with their Christmas and New Year's cards, finding that other than a couple of snapshots taken on a short vacation the August before and some newspaper clippings, there were no pictures of all three of them together. Smiling sadly, Keitaro sat down his pen and took the heavy silver frame in his hands.

The three of them were wearing their Sunday best, decked out in the traditional colors of one of his religion's holiest holidays. He stood in the back, dressed in a black suit and a red-and-green-striped tie, as his left hand rested on his wife's shoulder. Takara sat in the leather armchair beside him, her long black hair pulled back in a French braid. She wore an elegant satin green dress which contrasted beautifully with her amethyst eyes. And on her lap sat little Rei, looking quite adorable in her red velvet dress trimmed in lace, a large matching bow tied behind her head, white tights, and patent leather Mary Janes. On the surface, they appeared to be the perfect family, but appearances, like some politicians he knew, had a tendency to be deceiving.

Keitaro sighed, his attention focused on Takara's smiling face in the portrait, so different than the one she wore as of late. Why did he keep pushing her away? He hated seeing her so sad, yet he never did anything about it. Even their dinner plans for tonight wouldn't change anything. He already knew that. One night wouldn't make up for all the disappointments she'd suffered over the years. Sure, they would laugh, catch up with Minoru and Miyuki, maybe get a little drunk with champagne… But once the night was over, Takara would kiss him goodnight before she went upstairs, and he would lock himself in his study to work on his speech for the upcoming Assembly meeting until two or three o'clock in the morning, when he would either fall asleep at his desk or move to the couch. It was always the same.

But would he do anything about it? Probably not.

He was such a coward.

There was a knock on the door, and Keitaro glanced up, placing the picture face-down on his desk. "Come in," he said, once again all business.

A young man, one of his interns and a family friend who happened to be the former Governor Negishi's grandson, opened the door and popped his head inside. "Hino-sama, Katsuki-san is on her break, and Terada-sama has just arrived for your two o'clock meeting. May I send him in?"

The governor nodded, reaching for the revised budget proposal. "Yes, Kaidou-kun. Show him in."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Okaa-sama, why are you getting all dressed up?" Rei asked, bouncing up and down in her seat on her parents' king-sized bed as she watched her mother struggle to zip up the back of her dress. "Are you going somewhere tonight?"

The time was six o'clock, and Takara had just finished slipping into a violet sheath dress. It was the third outfit she tried on that evening, trying to find the right dress for her date with Keitaro. She wanted to look absolutely perfect tonight.

"Your father is taking me out to eat tonight," Takara said with a smile in response to her daughter's question. Finding it impossible to zip the rest of the dress by herself, she squatted down in front of Rei and pulled her long hair to the side. "Rei-chan, will you finish zipping my dress for me, sweetie?"

"Okay!" The little girl stopped her bouncing and pulled the zipper all the way up. "All done, okaa-sama!"

"Thanks."

Takara grabbed onto one of the bed posts and slowly pulled herself off the floor, suddenly feeling a little light-headed. She recognized it as one of her more mild "spells". They were becoming more and more frequent, but Takara was becoming quite a pro at hiding them from her friends and family. Not even Dr. Sakamoto was aware of them. This time, however, Rei noticed when her mother slightly faltered as she tried to stand. "Okaa-sama, are you okay?"

The attack wore off quickly, and Takara nodded her head. "I'm fine, sweetie," she insisted. Takara wasn't about to let a little dizzy spell ruin her wonderful evening. Standing, she studied her reflection in the full-length mirror with a critical eye. "How do I look in this dress? Is it too baggy?"

She smoothed out a few non-existent wrinkles in the silky fabric, frowning. The dress was about a size too big for her slender frame, as was most of her wardrobe. If she'd had time, she would have asked Miyuki to take her into downtown Tokyo and gone shopping for something better-fitting to wear tonight, but it appeared the sheath was the next best choice. It was either this one or the dress she had worn to Miyuki's wedding.

From her seat on the bed, Rei shook her head. "You look beautiful, okaa-sama," her daughter assured her, her eyes bright with adoration. "Just like a princess."

Smiling, Takara sat down beside her daughter and wrapped her arms around the sweet little angel. "Thank you, Rei-chan," she said, kissing the top of Rei's head. "You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better. What would I ever do without you?"

Rei cutely shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

"Me, neither. And I don't think I want to know," Takara said, playfully tapping the tip of Rei's nose. "Now, I really do need to finish getting ready before your father comes home. You know how much he hates being late."

Takara gave Rei another hug before she walked over and took a seat at the vanity, her daughter following right behind her. Rei always loved to watch Takara style her hair and apply her make-up. Standing on the left side of the vanity, the girl intently stared at Takara as she pulled her long hair into a simple and elegant French twist.

"You need some earrings," Rei said matter-of-factly, her tiny hands digging in the handsome jewelry box Takara kept on the upper-left-hand corner of the vanity. A few seconds later, she pulled out a pair of large lavender jade hoops and held one of the earrings up to her mother's lobe. "These are pretty. Wear these, okaa-sama."

Takara laughed, taking the offered earrings from Rei's hands and putting them on. When had her daughter become such a fashion expert? She did have to admit the jade hoops were a great match for her dress, though. Takara shook her head ever so slightly, letting the dangling hoops jingle, and smiled as she admired her reflection in the mirror. "They're perfect, Rei-chan," she said, just as the phone sitting on Keitaro's nightstand began to ring.

"I'll get it!" Rei reached the telephone first, since she was already standing. After telling her mother she would answer, the little girl picked up the receiver, her brow furrowed in thought as she tried to remember everything she had been taught about telephone etiquette. "Hello, Hino residence… Yes, this is Rei… Okaa-sama is dressing for dinner… Yes, otou-sama…"

At the mention of "otou-sama," Takara stopped applying her pale pink lipstick and set the tube back down on the table and glanced over at the alarm clock. Why was Keitaro calling so late? Shouldn't he have already left the office by now? It was almost six-twenty now. Their reservation was supposed to be at eight. If he wasn't home in ten minutes, there would be no way they would make it on time. "Rei-chan, is that your father?" she asked, walking over and taking a seat on the bed. "Let me talk to him."

"Okay." Rei handed the receiver to her mother after saying a quick good-bye to Keitaro and jumped on the bed beside her.

"Keitaro? It's me," Takara said, bringing the phone to her ear. "Where are you? I thought you would be home by now."

On the other end of the line, she heard her husband sigh. "I'm still at the office, Takara."

"Oh." Takara absentmindedly began twirling the phone cord around one of her fingers, already sensing what was about to happen. Still, she held onto a small speck of hope she could be wrong. "Then you're calling to say you're going to be late?"

There was a familiar pause before Keitaro finally answered. "No, I called to tell you I won't be able to make it tonight. My meeting Terada-san didn't go as well as I'd hope, so I'm staying late to go over those figures again. You understand."

Takara's face fell. She should have known he would break his promise once again. It was always the same story. "Of course," she whispered. "I understand."

"If you still want to meet Minoru and Miyuki-san for dinner, I can send my driver to the house," Keitaro offered. "It would be shame to let a perfectly good reservation go to waste. You should go without me."

"No, that won't be necessary." Takara was no longer in the mood to go out. Besides, without Keitaro there, she knew she would feel like a fifth wheel. It would probably be best to stay home with Rei and Mrs. Yukana and play board games like they usually did on Saturday nights. "I'll see you later tonight. Do your best, Keitaro. Goodbye."

Takara hung up the phone after Keitaro said goodbye, struggling not to show her disappointment at the cancellation of their dinner plans. Beside her, Rei was still watching her with those inquisitive purple eyes. She didn't need to know how much her father hurt her mother tonight. The last thing Takara wanted to do was burden her daughter with her problems.

Still, Rei seemed to sense something was wrong. "Okaa-sama, why do you look so sad?" the little girl asked, snuggling closer to her mother in comfort. She wrapped her arms around Takara's slender waist and rested her head on her chest. "You don't look as pretty when you're sad."

Takara almost broke down right then and there, but managed to fight back her tears as she kissed the top of Rei's head. "Oh, Rei-chan, I'm not sad," she said, running her fingers through Rei's long black hair "Just disappointed. Your father has to work late tonight, so it looks like we won't be going to _Umi's_ after all."

"Oh." Rei held her even tighter. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, sweetheart," Takara whispered, wiping away a tear before Rei could see it run down her face. "Me, too."

Mother and daughter stayed wrapped in each other's arms for quite some time, neither saying a word. Words weren't necessary. Rei's presence was enough to comfort her mother in her pain. Again, Takara wondered what she would ever do without her precious angel. Sometimes it felt as if Rei was the only bright spot in her life. No matter what, Takara knew Rei would always love her, which was more than she could say about some people.

Finally, though, Takara pulled away from Rei's embrace and forced a smile on her face. She'd experience enough sadness for one day. It was time to have fun. Just because Keitaro had canceled their plans didn't mean the entire evening was ruined. "Rei-chan, why don't you go downstairs and set up the board for a game of Candyland?" Takara suggested, knowing it was the little girl's favorite. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Okay!" Rei agreed enthusiastically as she slid off the bed. "Can we have popcorn, too?"

"Sure, whatever you want, sweetie."

After giving her mother one last hug, Rei ran out of the room, her excited footsteps echoing throughout the house as she went downstairs to set up for "Game Night". Takara chuckled when she heard Mrs. Yukana's voice ordering the little princess to slow down, but her laughter was short-lived. As soon as she was positive Rei was downstairs, Takara rose from the bed and took a seat at the vanity, slipping off the lavender jade hoop earrings and placing them back in the jewelry box. She wouldn't need them tonight.

"Why did I believe him?" she whispered to her pale reflection in the mirror. "Why did I think tonight would be any different from any other night? I really thought he…"

Her voice cracked, and Takara could taste the saltiness of her tears on her lips. She didn't want to cry, but she was tired of holding in her long pent-up emotions. He had disappointed her more tonight than he ever had before. Why did she get her hopes up so high?

Sobs shook through her fragile body as she rested her head on the table. Takara didn't even try to stop them. All she wanted to do was cry until she could cry no longer.

And so cry she did, ignoring the tightness in her heart.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in the living room, Rei waited impatiently for her mother to come downstairs like she said she would. Everything was almost ready for their weekly "Game Night". She had just finished setting up the Candyland board on the coffee table, and in the kitchen, Mrs. Yukana was busy making popcorn. As soon as her mother came down, they could begin.

But her mother seemed to be taking her time coming downstairs. Rei wondered what was keeping her. She kept looking over at the entrance of the room, hoping to see her mother standing there with a smile on her face, but the only person who passed through the entryway was Mrs. Yukana, carrying a huge bowl of popcorn in her hands.

"Hino-sama hasn't joined us yet?" her nanny asked as she set the bowl down on the table. "That's strange. Didn't you tell me she was coming down, hime-chan?"

Rei nodded her head. "Okaa-sama said she would come down in a few minutes. I guess she wanted to change out of her fancy dress."

"Well, I suppose we can play a game or two while we wait for her, if you want."

"No, I want to wait until okaa-sama comes down."

"That's fine," Mrs. Yukana said with a smile. "Would you like some orange juice or milk while I'm still up? Once these old bones get down on that floor, they aren't going to be getting up any time soon."

"No, thank you, Yukana-san."

"Are you sure?" When Rei assured her she was fine, the nanny turned to leave. "I'll be in the kitchen brewing some tea for your mother and me, then. Try not to eat all the popcorn while I'm gone."

"I won't," she promised.

Rei watched Mrs. Yukana leave the room and sighed. What was taking her mother so long? She was beginning to sense one of her "feelings" creeping up. Along with her uncanny luck in finding lost objects, the ability to sense things was what her mother called one of her "special gifts" - one for which she didn't particularly care. Most of the time, it meant something horrible was about to happen, like the time when she had a "feeling" and the goldfish she won at a shrine festival her mother took her to died an hour later.

Unable to ignore the "feeling" any longer, Rei decided to go upstairs and check on Takara. She slowly ascended the staircase, her socked feet for once barely making a sound, and walked toward her parents' bedroom. The "feeling" grew stronger as she approached the closed door. Rei wished it would go away. Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she lightly knocked on the door.

"Okaa-sama, it's me, Rei," she called out. Her tiny voice quivered. "We're ready to play Candyland downstairs. Yukana-san made a huge bowl of popcorn, just the way you like it, covered with lots of butter…"

Nobody answered.

"Okaa-sama?

Rei reached for the gold-tone knob, the "feeling" in the pit of her stomach stronger than ever. Something was wrong. She pushed the door open, just far enough to peek, and peered inside. "Okaa-sama? Is something wro-"

The last word died on her lips. Inside the bedroom was a sight that would stay with the little girl for the rest of her life. Laying on the floor beside the vanity was a motionless body, the woman's amethyst eyes closed to the world.

Rei screamed.

"OKAA-SAMA!"


	7. Ashes On The Wind, Part I

The funeral was held a couple of days later, following a wake at the manor. In tribute of Takara's Shinto heritage, the ceremony itself was performed according to traditional Buddhist customs. Then her body was cremated and the ashes taken in an urn to a cemetery near the Hikawa shrine to be buried.

Rei didn't really understand much of what was going on around her, other than the fact her mother was gone and she was never coming back. Her godfather Minoru, whose hand she was holding as the small group of mourners made its way toward the gravesite, tried to explain it to her, but admittedly, she wasn't paying much attention to his words.

All she could think about was the memory of her beautiful mother's body collapsed on the carpet, motionless and cold. The scene kept playing over and over in the little girl's mind like a never-ending nightmare. Rei remembered everything about that night - the knot she felt in her stomach before she opened the door, the words she called out, the sight of hr mother's tear-streaked face and closed eyes… Even the faint smell of her mother's favorite perfume seemed to still linger in the air, somehow overpowering the scent of incense burning around her.

Her grasp on Minoru's hand tightened as they came to a stop underneath a sakura tree near the back of the cemetery. In sharp contrast to the somber mood of the mourners, Mother Nature appeared to be in the throes of celebration, rejoicing in the full-blown springtime. A delicate pink cherry blossom dropped from the tree and fell on top of Rei's head, bringing a sad smile to her face as she reached up to pluck it away. Her mother would have loved today.

"Rei-chan, are you okay?" Minoru asked, his voice a soft whisper. "If you want, I'll take you back to the car, and we'll wait until they're through."

She shook her head. "I'm okay, Uchizawa-san," Rei answered, wiping back a tear with the palm of her hand.

Her father's kind friend gave her hand a gentle squeeze of comfort before the redhead turned his attention back to the burial of her mother's urn. However, Rei, whose six-year-old attention span found the proceedings rather boring, decided to focus instead on the group of mourners gathered around the gravesite.

Watanabe Miyuki, her mother's life-long best friend, and Mrs. Yukana were the only mourners visibly crying. The housekeeper was standing off to the side, sobbing into her handkerchief, while the blonde leaned against her husband with her head resting on his shoulder. Kazuya's arms were wrapped tightly around Miyuki's waist as he whispered words of comfort in her ear. Rei noticed Minoru glancing over at the couple every once in a while, but, being so young, she didn't comprehend the meaning behind those secret looks.

Standing near the couple was the only guest Rei didn't recognize. He was an older man, the only male garbed in traditional funeral attire. The other men had donned more modern suits, making the man stand out from the rest. Rei wondered who he could be. His dark brown eyes were filled with such sadness, perhaps more than anyone else present, and faintly wrinkled hands occasionally reached up to wipe away a wayward tear. A relative, perhaps? But Rei didn't remember ever hearing about having any other family. She knew her father's parents were dead, and her mother never spoke of her family. She finally decided he must be a family friend she never met and turned her attention elsewhere.

Across from those four, on the other side of the grave, stood two more men. One was an elderly gentleman, even older the stranger, with a generous waistline. Years ago, before she was born, he used to be one of the most powerful men in Tokyo. Now, Negishi Shinji walked with the aid of a cane and was partially blind in one eye. Beside him, his handsome grandson held the former governor's arm. Rei knew Kaidou Ace, now an intern at her father's office, well. He often visited the Hino manor, first with his grandfather, and later on his own when Negishi's health began to decline. Kaidou was very much like an older brother to Rei, and her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer in affection before she looked up to her father.

Out of all the mourners, Keitaro appeared to be handling his emotions the best. No traces of unshed tears clouded his gray eyes as he watched Takara's urn lowered into the ground, which surprised his daughter. If not for the slightly thicker mustache above his lip, a sign he'd forgotten to shave for the past few days, Rei would almost think he was at a business meeting, not a funeral.

Her hand slipped from Minoru's grasp as Rei moved closer to where her father stood, and she reached for Keitaro's fingers, seeking the comfort which she did not receive. His grip was loose and limp, cold to the touch. "Otou-sama," she whispered.

Keitaro shook his head. "Later, Rei-san," he said in an equally soft whisper. His eyes never left the grave.

The little girl sighed, letting go of her father's hand. She never felt more alone in her entire life.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the burial was finished, most of the mourners left, save for the mysterious stranger and the attractive blonde. Neither spoke though, and Miyuki doubted the old man was even aware of her presence nearby as he stared at the headstone in sadness.

Watching Saburo through her watery eyes, Miyuki struggled to maintain her composure. Her heart ached for her friend's father, imagining the pain he must be going through. Even though the two hadn't spoken in almost a decade, she knew Saburo had never stopped loving Takara. Miyuki could see it in his eyes every time she mentioned Takara's name during her monthly visits to the shrine. He tried to pretend he didn't want to hear about his daughter's life when she brought up the subject of Takara, but she knew underneath all his protestations, he secretly was glad when she did. He was as easy to read as an open book.

But now…

Miyuki bit down on her bottom lip, blinking back tears. Takara was dead. There would be no more visits to Hikawa to bring Saburo the latest news. No more tea times on Saturdays. No more gossip sessions over the phone...

How could Takara be gone? It wasn't supposed to be this way. Remembering back to the last time she spoke to Takara, only a few hours before her death during their regular Saturday tea, she recalled how happy her friend had been, happier than Miyuki had seen her in months. Takara had been so looking forward to their dinner party at _Umi's_. What could have gone wrong in such a short amount of time? Yes, Miyuki had noticed how thin and tired her friend looked that day, but Takara assured her it was nothing. Supposedly, Dr. Sakamoto had said she was fine at her last appointment. That Takara would unexpectedly go into cardiac arrest without as much as a warning…

Suddenly cold despite the warm spring breeze tousling her loose, golden hair and blowing against her tear-streaked face, Miyuki pulled herself into a hug. It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair at all!

"Ah, Miyuki-chan, I didn't know you were still here," a male voice said, startling her.

Glancing back up, Miyuki wiped away some of her tears with her palm to see Saburo giving her a weak smile over his shoulder. She had almost forgotten he was there.

"Kondo-sama…" she whispered.

Stepping forward, Miyuki stood beside the grieving father and wordlessly took his wrinkled hand in hers.

"You didn't have to stay for me," the priest said. "Hikawa's only a short walk from here. You and Watanabe-san don't need to give me a ride home."

"I know," she said, lightly squeezing his hand. "I-I only wanted to thank you. For coming to the funeral, I mean. After what you said to me when I told you the news… Then you didn't come to the wake. I thought you wouldn't come."

Saburo sighed. "I wasn't going to come, Miyuki-chan."

"Oh." Miyuki frowned. "What made you change you're mind, then?"

Surprisingly, the priest let out a small chuckle. "It was actually because of those stupid crows of Takara's, if you can believe that," he said. "This morning, I was feeding them the corn like I always do, when, all of the sudden, Phobos and Deimos start tearing at my robes, trying to pull me toward the torii. It was the strangest thing, like they were telling me I had to go. I can't really explain it." He shook his head, showing he had no logical explanation. "In any case, when I went back inside to change, I came across an old photograph of us - you, me, Noriko, and Takara. You probably remember it. The one we took on Takara's birthday, the year we gave her the necklace?"

Miyuki nodded, remembering the picture well. They had taken it underneath the torii of the shrine after Takara's birthday party. Noriko, always a very fragile person like her daughter, had worn such a sad smile that day, knowing she wouldn't be around much longer, but she and Takara were all grins as they hammed it up for the camera. Unfortunately, Saburo, trying to get them to stop their silliness, ended up taking the picture with his eyes closed, a fact they loved to tease him mercilessly about every time they saw the photograph.

"Papa-No-Eyes," Miyuki said, calling him the name Takara gave him.

"Yes, that's the one." Saburo chuckled once again, but this time, the laugh was less jovial. "Seeing that picture again… Before I even realized it, I was dressing in my robes and heading to the funeral home."

"Well, I'm glad you did decide to come, Kondo-sama."

"So am I."

"I know Takara would have appreciated it, knowing you were here," Miyuki said, continuing. "The one thing she wanted most was your forgiveness."

A regretful sigh escaped the priest's lips at her words. "I forgave her long ago," he murmured mostly to himself. "Only I was too stubborn to realize it until it was too late. What an old fool I've been…"

Saburo's voice cracked, and Miyuki noticed his eyes were growing misty. Her heart nearly broke into a thousand pieces at the sight. She released her grip on his hand and wrapped her arms around his trembling shoulders instead. "Oh, Kondo-sama…" she whispered.

"I have so many regrets, Miyuki-chan," he admitted, his dark brown eyes staring at Takara's name carved in the headstone, brimming with tears. "I can't believe I treated her so cruelly. My own daughter, my beautiful treasure…"

"You were angry with her for running off and marrying Keitaro-san. It's understandable."

Saburo shook his head. "It doesn't matter if I was angry with Takara. That's no excuse for what I did to her. And now…"

His voice broke off, overcome with emotion. The dams he built had finally broken, and rivers of tears now streamed down his wrinkled face. Miyuki found herself holding her friend's father even tighter as the both of them fell to their knees on the ground. Not knowing what to do, for it wasn't often she saw a man break down so suddenly, she simply rocked him back and forth, his tears soaking the shoulder of her black kimono.

"I never got the chance to apologize," Saburo cried. "I never told her how sorry I was. So very sorry."

"I know," Miyuki murmured, helplessly trying to comfort the old man even as she struggled to fight back her own tears. There wasn't much else she could say, so, instead, she held Saburo close and let him cry into her kimono without fear of embarrassment.

There was no telling how long the two stayed like that, comforting each other in their respective grief, but when the priest finally pulled away from Miyuki's embrace, his eyes were watery and rimmed with red. "Forgive me, Miyuki-chan," he apologized, wiping away a few lingering tears with the sleeve of his robe. "I didn't mean to break down like that in front of you."

Miyuki gave him a sad smile as she stood back up and brushed the grass off the back of her kimono. "It's okay, Kondo-sama," she assured him, holding out her hands. "Here, let me help you."

With Miyuki's assistance, the old priest stood as well. "Thank you," he said. "For everything."

"It was nothing. Come, I'll walk you back to Hikawa."

Saburo shook his head. "If you don't mind, Miyuki-chan, I think I'll stay for a while longer. You go on ahead. I'm sure Watanabe-san is waiting for you."

Miyuki was reluctant to leave him when he was in such a state, but she released her loose grip on his arm. "Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine," he insisted. "Don't worry about me."

"Okay. I'll see you later, Kondo-sama."

After giving his hand one last reassuring squeeze, she turned and headed toward the gates of the cemetery.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unbeknownst to Miyuki and Saburo, Minoru stood at the iron gates surrounding the Buddhist burial ground, quietly watching the two as they comforted each other in their grief. He hadn't meant to spy on them during such an obviously private and intimate moment, but something inside him had told him to stay.

He needed to talk to her.

To hold her.

To comfort her.

Minoru had watched her through most of the ceremony in her husband's arms, and all he could think about was how much he wished it could have been him, comforting her during what was undoubtedly one of the toughest times of her life. Minoru hated himself for thinking that, especially when his thoughts should have been with Keitaro and Rei, but they were both strong, while Miyuki had been weak, unable to hide the grief over her best friend's passing. Every sob that shook her body had shook something inside him as well. He was still sensitive to her feelings, her pain.

As Minoru watched, Miyuki squeezed Saburo's hand, stepped back, and began walking towards the gates, her head down, trying to control the tears that still streamed down her face. In fact, Miyuki almost walked straight past Minoru before he stepped forward and said, "Miyuki."

Startled by his sudden presence, the blonde nearly jumped out of her skin. However, once she turned around and saw who it was, she visibly relaxed. "Oh, Minoru-san, it's you," she said. "You scared me half-to-death! I thought you had left."

"I'm sorry for startling you. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I-I'm fine," she stuttered, taking a step backward when she realized how close they were standing. Her brief period of relaxation had disappeared, replaced by a stiff body and downcast eyes. "Thank you for your concern, but I need to go. Kazuya is waiting for me in the car."

Miyuki turned to leave, but Minoru reached for her arm, forcing her to stay. She drew in a sharp breath.

"Minoru-san, please don't," she pleaded. "It's not appropriate…"

He shook his head. "I know," he said. "I just thought you might need a friend now. We are still friends, aren't we?"

"I don't know. After what happened before the wedding…"

She blushed faintly at the memory, the blood bringing some much needed color to her pale, tear-streaked cheeks. Minoru thought she looked beautiful even in her grief, but as the sun reflected off her gold wedding band, he remembered she was married to another and pushed the thought away, knowing it wasn't appropriate to think of her like that.

"That was months ago," he said, unable to think of anything more intelligent to say.

"But you still feel the same, don't you?"

He couldn't deny it. "Yes, I still love you," he said in a soft voice. "I meant every single word I said to you that day. Nothing will ever change that."

"Then why are you still here?" she asked. "Why do you want to put yourself through such torture by being my friend when you know there's no hope of ever becoming more?"

That was a question Minoru had been asking himself for months, and much to his annoyance, he still hadn't come up with a decent answer. Common sense would tell him it was better to make a clean break and simply forget about how much Miyuki had meant to him, but, as Keitaro was often so fond of saying of him during their years at university, Minoru had about as much common sense as a lemming, especially when it came to matters of the heart. Call him crazy, but he still cared too much about Miyuki to let her go. They were friends long before he made his declaration of love, and he wanted it to stay that way.

Finally he answered, "Because I want you in my life, Miyuki."

Chocolate brown eyes shifted to the cement beneath their feet, unable to meet his gaze. "Minoru-san, I wish you wouldn't say things like that. I know you want things to go back to the way they were before…the incident, but they can't. You know that as well as I do. Things have changed between us; everything has changed. Everything…"

Miyuki blinked back the tears she'd been holding back, and instinctively, Minoru pulled her back toward him, wrapping his arms around her slender body in a protective embrace. Any thoughts of the awkwardness between them were forgotten: Miyuki was too upset to think about propriety anymore, and Minoru only had eyes for the woman in his arms. He was glad that he was finally able to hold her, even in such sad circumstances, though it would be only for a brief moment in time. As he gazed down at her, a wave of tenderness swept over him.

"I'm sorry, Miyuki," he whispered into her soft, faintly scented blonde hair. "So, so sorry. I know how much you loved Takara."

"Why do things always have to change?" she sobbed quietly onto his shoulder. "Why can't things go back to the way they were when we all first met? When you would call me Mother Hen and I would call you an idiot and Keitaro-san wasn't governor and Takara was alive and happy…"

Minoru wished he had the answer to her questions. There was nothing he wouldn't give to go back to those days. She was right - so much had changed over the last decade.

He missed the way things used to be. He missed the Takara who could bring sunshine into a room just by smiling. He missed the Keitaro who knew how to mix both business and pleasure. He even missed the Miyuki who was forever scolding him for his reckless behavior and countless girlfriends.

But, most of all, he missed the times when they all used to gather at the shrine on peaceful afternoons, when Keitaro could be dragged away from his work, and just sat there, talking about the future, a future that was always bright and happy and safe. How innocent they'd been...

Looking down at the distraught woman in his arms, Minoru ran his fingers through her disheveled hair, heartbroken at the sight. "I know, Miyuki, I know…"

"It wasn't supposed to be this way. Takara wasn't supposed to be taken away from us so soon. It isn't fair." She sniffled, drawing Minoru even closer toward her until it was impossible to tell where one body ended and the other began. Neither noticed the proximity of their bodies, though, too caught up in their grief. "It just isn't fair!" Miyuki cried out finally, rage and pain making it sound like the cry of a wild animal.

"Life rarely is fair," he murmured, his voice soft and soothing though he was struggling to hold back his own tears. Takara had been his friend, too. She might not have been as close to him as Miyuki or Keitaro, but he still felt a deep, resonant loss over her death. She had been the only person able to get Keitaro out of the office and into the sunlight, and for that, Minoru would be forever grateful. She had been such a wonderful person, and he would miss her terribly.

"I know that, Minoru-san, but I don't understand why Takara had to die! It's not right! There are plenty of people who deserve to die, and she wasn't one of them! She was never selfish or unkind! She was such a wonderful mother -" Miyuki clapped hand over her mouth. "Oh, no, that poor little girl growing up without her mother…"

That was probably the cruelest tragedy of all. After all the risks Takara had taken to have a child of her own, she would never have the chance to see her little Rei grow up.

"Rei-chan still has us," Minoru said softly. "We'll take care of her and make sure she never forgets what a wonderful mother she had. I swear it!"

Lowering her hand from her mouth, Miyuki's dark eyes widened in newfound appreciation. "Minoru-san," she whispered. "I-I…"

He gave her a sad smile, bringing his hand to cradle the side of her face. His thumb wiped away a wayward tear that ran down her pale cheek, and though he felt her stiffen once more at his touch, Miyuki made no motion to turn away, her eyes gently closing as she tried to hold back her tears.

It would have been so easy to kiss her then. Their faces were only inches apart, and her pink lips were slightly parted in invitation, so soft and tempting. If he didn't know better, Minoru would have thought Miyuki wanted the kiss as much as he did. All he had to do was lean in a little more closer...

However, he did know better. Miyuki wasn't thinking clearly. Her grief was blinding her, and she was confusing comfort with something more. Slowly, Minoru brought his hand down to her shoulder, placing the other on the alternate shoulder, and pressed his lips against her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open in surprise, but she seemed relieved when she realized what had almost happened.

"Minoru-san…"

"If you ever need a friend, Miyuki, then I want you to know I'm always available," he said.

Miyuki gave him a small smile. "Thank you. I'll remember that."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"You killed her!" a gruff, unfriendly voice shouted, his speech slurred from drunkenness. "You want to know what happened to your mother, boy? You killed her, that's what happened, you bast-"_

_"Onii-san!" the man's younger brother interrupted before he could finish the sentence. "You're drunk. You don't know what you're saying."_

_"I know damn well what I'm saying, Wataru!" Staggering as he stood from his chair, Hino Takeo turned to his sobbing son and pointed an accusing finger at the young boy. "He asked me why he didn't have a mother, and I'm simply telling the boy the truth. Honesty's the best policy. Isn't that what you always say?"_

_Wataru's eyes narrowed as he took his nephew into his arms, gently stroking his blond hair in an attempt to comfort the boy. "Keitaro-chan was not to blame for Yukari-san's death, onii-san. It was just her time to go, and I wish you would finally accept that, rather than continuing to wallow in alcohol and misery. You have a son to raise, the life you two created together. You need to get over this bitterness you feel and get some help, if not for you, than at least for Keitaro-chan's sake. He needs a father!"_

_"Don't tell me what to do!" Takeo shouted angrily, throwing his half-empty glass of scotch toward the wall behind Wataru and his son. The glass shattered upon impact, the loud noise causing the boy's sobs to worsen, yet his cries drew no sympathy from his drunken father. Takeo swore loudly, covering his ears with his hands. "And get that brat out of here! He's giving me a headache."_

_Following Takeo's orders, Wataru carried the boy to the door, but paused before turning the doorknob. He turned around once more, his eyes full of pity and sadness. "Onii-san, don't be like this," he pleaded. "Keitaro-chan needs you."_

_The older brother plopped back down in his favorite armchair, rubbing his throbbing temples with both his middle and pointer fingers. He refused to look at either his brother or his son standing behind him in the doorway. Instead, his bloodshot gaze remained glued to a picture of his late wife hanging on the wall opposite the chair._

_Hino Yukari had been an extremely beautiful woman when she was alive. Her hair had been long and pale blonde, like strands of wheat, and she had soft gray eyes just like her son's. The boy in Wataru's arms was the spitting image of the mother he had never known, and everytime Takeo looked at him, he was reminded of what he had lost._

_"Just leave me alone, Wataru," Takeo finally said softly. "You take care of Keitaro-san. I no longer have a son."_

_The young boy, hearing his father's words, looked up from his uncle's shoulder, confused. "Otou-sama…" he whispered._

_"I have no son," Takeo repeated, reaching for a flask of liquor sitting on the small table beside his chair. "He killed her, he killed my Yukari… He killed her…"_

 

Gray eyes popped opened as Keitaro woke with a start. His breath was ragged, his heart pounded against his rib cage, and the world seemed to be spinning around him with amazing speed. Everything was so fuzzy and blurred. Where was he?

Keitaro struggled to sit up from his laying position on the couch, his right hand blindly searching for his glasses. They were sitting on the nearby end table. His hand wrapped around the spectacles, and he put them back on, breathing a sigh of relief when he recognized the familiar surroundings. He was in his study. Not his father's library.

"It was just a dream," he assured himself as he raked a hand through his hair. He felt his heartbeat slowly returning to its normal rate. "Only a dream…"

More like a nightmare - the same recurring nightmare that used to haunt his dreaming hours as a child. It had been years since Keitaro last dreamed of the long ago memory of his father, though. He wondered why the dream had returned after so many years of remaining dormant in his unconsciousness. Especially at a time like this.

Didn't he have enough to deal with already, without having to suffer the nightly torment of Hino Takeo's memory - a memory he thought had disappeared?

And what was with the throbbing headache? It felt as if a dozen hammers were pounding on his temples in some kind of dissonant symphony.

Groaning, Keitaro looked to his left. A half-empty bottle of scotch sat on his desk, next to a crystal glass. He stared at the bottle, wondering where it came from. He didn't remember bringing it out from the rarely opened liquor cabinet. After all, he wasn't much of a drinker, except for the occasional glass of wine or champagne with dinner. Why would it be out?

Keitaro groaned again. He remembered what happened now.

He had gotten drunk after returning home from the cemetery.

It hadn't been his intention. When Keitaro first pulled out the unopened bottle of scotch, he only meant to drink enough to dull the overwhelming pain he felt in his heart. One glass, that was all. Just enough to forget what he had gone through that day.

Obviously, though, one glass hadn't been enough.

And now his mouth thirsted for more. Anything to forget the dream, forget Takara, forget everything.

Shakily, Keitaro stood from his seat on the couch and stumbled over to his desk chair. The room was dim, making it difficult to see, but he managed to find his way without too much trouble. Once he was seated, Keitaro reached for the bottle and poured himself another drink.

The glass in his hand was either his fourth or fifth since the funeral - he had lost count of how many he drank before his unscheduled nap. Keitaro swirled the liquid inside, watching the scotch splash against the side of the crystal glass before taking a drink. He then made a face and sat the glass down on the desk. It had a terrible taste, nothing like the wine and champagne to which Keitaro was accustomed. In the back of his mind, he vaguely wondered why his father liked it so much when he was alive. The "nectar of the gods" it was not. But then the numbing began to take affect once again, and Keitaro could see its appeal.

Pushing the glass out of the way, he rested his fuzzy head down on his folded arms. It put him just about eye level with a picture of Takara he had sitting on the edge of the desk, and he smiled.

"Hey, pretty lady," Keitaro said, his slurred voice unusually husky. "I missed you. Where have you been?"

The picture, unsurprisingly, didn't answer back.

"Quiet, aren't you, Takara? Are you still mad at me for cancelling our dinner date? You know I had to work."

Again, silence.

"Come on, don't be that way," he pleaded, reaching for the silver picture frame. "I told you I was sorry, didn't I? Didn't I?"

 _No, I didn't_ , Keitaro remembered mournfully as he stared at the smiling image in his hands. The realization hit him like a punch in the stomach, and he felt like he was going to be sick. He hadn't apologized. Takara had died without him telling her how truly sorry he had been for the way he had treated her, not just that night, but all the other nights he had disappointed her.

She had died thinking he didn't love her anymore, when nothing could have been further from the truth.

As much as Keitaro wished he hadn't, he had loved her. He tried to deny it, tried to push her away, holding Takara at arm's length after he almost lost her after their daughter's birth, but no matter what he did, he could never make the feeling completely disappear. Keitaro realized now it had been a mistake. He should have known he could never make himself not love Takara. He had been a fool, a coward. Instead of pushing her away in fear of the inevitable, he should have held her close and enjoyed the time he had had with her.

Now, they would never have that time again, and he would never have the chance to make it up to her.

"Oh, God..." he whispered, placing the photograph facedown on his desk and burying his face in his arms. What had he done?

"Otou-sama?"

Light from the hallway filled the darkened office as the door creaked opened, and Keitaro shut his eyes, blocking away the burning brightness. He thought he told Mrs. Yukana and Rei he wanted to be alone. Again, the voice called for him, and he finally forced himself to look up, opening one eye at a time.

At the entrance to the office, his daughter stood, watching him with Takara's amethyst eyes. She still wore the black dress from earlier, but her hair, which had been pulled into a French braid courtesy of Mrs. Yukana, now flowed loose around her shoulders. Keitaro was struck by how much Rei looked like a younger version of her mother just then, and not even the miracle potion could numb the ache in his heart.

"Rei-san," he whispered. "You shouldn't be in here. You know the rules."

The little girl stepped forward, her gaze downward and hands behind her back. "Sorry, otou-sama," she apologized. "I-I had a nightmare. About okaa-sama. She was crying, and she looked so sad…"

Keitaro leaned over his desk and hid his face in his hands. He couldn't deal with this right now. Not when the very sight of his daughter pierced his heart like a thousand knives. "Where's Yukana-san?" he asked, interrupting.

Rei shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I think she's upstairs, in your room. She said she was going to go through okaa-sama's things and see what could be given to charity."

"Go find her. I'm sure Yukana-san will be happy to comfort you."

"B-But…"

"Rei-san, go," he ordered.

His voice was harsher than he intended it to be, but Rei seemed to get the message. With a soft "Yes, otou-sama," she left the office, closing the door behind her.

Dimness once again filled the study as Keitaro looked up and reached for his glass. About a fourth of his drink remained. He contemplated his reflection in the liquid for a few seconds before deciding not to drink the rest.

The vision staring back at him was not one he liked in the least.

"Damn you, Hino Takeo," he cursed. The crystal glass flew from his hands and shattered upon impact with the wall. "Damn you, otou-sama!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kondo Saburo's heart was heavy as he ascended the stone steps leading to the temple. He had just returned from the cemetery, a part of his daily routine ever since the day of the funeral. Usually, the visits to his daughter's gravesite comforted the old man, but not today. Today marked the one week anniversary of her death.

He couldn't believe it had only been one week. To Saburo, it seemed as if a whole lifetime had passed since the night Miyuki came to Hikawa and tearfully informed him of the news. The days passed by so slowly now, most of his time spent either at the cemetery or praying in front of the sacred fire, and the nights were no better. His thoughts were consumed by guilt and regret.

"Takara…"

Overhead, a couple of crows began to caw, interrupting Saburo's thoughts. He paused and looked up, shielding his eyes from the bright light of the sun with his hand to look at the birds. Though there wasn't much physical difference between them and the other crows who made their home at the Hikawa shrine, somehow he recognized them as Takara's two old trouble-making pets.

"You two again, huh?" he said, wondering what had gotten them so riled up. The pair had been rather quiet over the last week or so, as if they somehow sensed what had happened to their mistress. For them to be so excited must mean something was about to happened. Those two seemed to possess a strange sixth sense about such things. "What is it this time?"

The crows cawed in answer as an elegant limousine rolled to a stop in front of the shrine. Saburo frowned when he saw it. "Who in the world could that be…?" he mused to himself. It wasn't often one saw such a fancy car in this part of the neighborhood.

Curious, Saburo watched the chauffeur get out on the driver's side and open the back door. A well-dressed man with gold-rimmed glasses and a faint mustache above his lip stepped out. He said something to the other man, and the chauffeur nodded before closing the door. The blond man then started up the steps toward him.

It took Saburo, whose eyesight was weakening in his old age despite his claims otherwise, a few moments to recognize the man. His eyes widened. What was he doing here?

"Good afternoon, Kondo-sama," Keitaro said, bowing politely to his father-in-law when he reached the priest. "I hope this isn't a bad time. I tried to call earlier this morning but didn't receive an answer."

"N-No, now is fine," Saburo answered once he got over the initial shock of seeing his son-in-law. Governor Hino Keitaro was the last person he expected to see at the shrine. He couldn't honestly say he was pleased to see Takara's husband, but he forced himself to remain cordial. "I apologize for not being here this morning. I just returned home a few minutes ago. After visiting the cemetery." He added the last phrase as an afterthought.

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence fell over them, broken only by the occasional caws of the two excitable crows flying overhead. A gentle breeze blew, tousling the men's hair, and a couple of cherry blossoms from a nearby sakura tree fell at their feet.

Finally, though, Keitaro cleared his throat and continued. "I didn't get the chance to talk to you that day," he said softly. "I meant to thank you for coming. I know it would have meant a lot to Takara to know you were there."

"She was my only daughter - of course I came," Saburo replied, his face softening for a moment as he found himself staring off into the distance. He then shook his head and turned his attention back to the governor. This wasn't the time to reminisce. "Hino-sama, I doubt you came all the way over here just to thank me for attending the funeral. You could have done that over the phone or in a letter. Why are you here?"

Keitaro sighed, his hands finding his pockets. "I came to ask a favor of you, Kondo-sama," he admitted. "It's about Rei-san."

A favor? Saburo couldn't deny he was somewhat intrigued, if a little reluctant to hear what it was. He highly doubted a simple Shinto priest could be of much service to one of the most powerful men in Tokyo. Still, he agreed to hear Keitaro's proposition over tea.

Saburo led Keitaro inside the shrine and went to the kitchen to prepare the refreshments. When he finished brewing the tea, he brought it out to the main room, where he found the governor already kneeling on the floor beside the low table, holding a frame containing an old school picture of Takara's in his hands which Keitaro set aside when he noticed Saburo's presence. Saburo joined him at the table and began to serve.

"You said you wanted to ask me for a favor, Hino-sama," Saburo said, once the tea had been poured. "I must say I don't see how I could be of much help to you, but I'll see what I can do."

"The favor is more for Rei-san's benefit, than mine," Keitaro answered. He kept his eyes lowered to the bowl of tea in his hands, refusing to meet his father-in-law's gaze. "I know I have no right to ask of anything from you, and so I ask you not to do this for me, but for your granddaughter."

Saburo faintly smiled. He remembered seeing his granddaughter at the funeral. She was a very pretty little girl, very much like her mother at that age. He'd wanted to meet her after the burial, but Keitaro and Rei had left before he got the chance to introduce himself. "What about Rei-chan?".

Keitaro took a sip of his tea. Saburo got the feeling the governor was stalling, but when Keitaro finally spoke again, his voice was low and serious. "I won't lie to you, Kondo-sama," he began. "I'm not proud of it, but I know I have never been much of a father to Rei-san. My job as governor of Tokyo prevented me from forming much of a bond with her. It was Takara and Rei-san's nanny who took on most of the burden of raising her."

"I see," Saburo said, although he still didn't know what point his son-in-law was trying to make. "Go on."

The governor took in a deep breath before continuing. "I think it would be best for Rei-san if she could live here at Hikawa, with you," Keitaro declared, finally looking up. "Of course, I would continue to support her financially, and I could be persuaded to make generous donations to the shrine in gratitude for your -"

The tea bowl in the Saburo's hands was set back down on the table. "Live here?" he repeated, not sure if he had heard correctly. Everything Keitaro said after that had fallen on deaf ears. "You want me to take Rei-chan in?"

The blond man nodded. "I think it would be in her best interest. I-I don't want to hurt her."

Confused by his words, Saburo gave Keitaro a questioning look. "Hurt her? Hino-sama, I'm afraid I don't quite understand."

"I'm battling my own demons," Keitaro said, again lowering his gaze to the bowl of steaming tea in his hands. He refused to elaborate any more on the subject, instead getting straight to the heart of the matter. "Right now, I cannot be the father Rei-san needs. She deserves better, Kondo-sama, and I believe you could provide it. That is why I'm asking you to consider letting her come live here with you."

Saburo contemplated the governor's words as another hushed silence fell over them. Keitaro had given him much to consider. He would love the chance to get to know his only grandchild better, but to become a surrogate father? The old priest wasn't sure he was up to such a task. He wasn't as young as he used to be, and if Rei was anything at all like her mother at that age, she would certainly be a handful. Was he prepared to take on the responsibility of raising another child all by himself?

Still, a part of Saburo was feeling selfish. Even though he lost his daughter, he could still have his precious granddaughter. Agreeing to let Rei stay with him would be like having a second chance to right the wrongs he had done to Takara. Of course, Rei could never take Takara's place in his heart - Saburo knew that - but perhaps having her around would make the pain a little easier to bear.

In the end, his selfishness won out. "Rei-chan may stay with me, Hino-sama," Saburo decided.

"Thank you, Kondo-sama."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting cross-legged on her bed with her favorite teddy bear in her arms, Rei pouted. The day she had been dreading ever since last Saturday when her father told her the news had finally come. Today, she was moving in with her grandfather at the Hikawa shrine.

 _Why do I do I have to go?_ she asked herself for the millionth time it seemed as she watched Mrs. Yukana pack the rest of her clothes in a large leather suitcase. Rei had offered to help, of course, but as always, Mrs. Yukana shooed her away, telling her to go play with some of her toys.

Noticing the pout on Rei's face, Mrs. Yukana stopped in the middle of folding a yellow T-shirt and set it aside. "Hime-chan, why don't you go downstairs and watch TV?" she suggested. "Your favorite anime show should be coming on soon. I know you don't want to miss it."

Rei shook her head. "I don't want to," she answered.

"Well, how about reading a book?"

"I read them all."

"Take a bath?"

 _A bath?_ The little girl wrinkled her nose in distaste, and a sad smile crossed the grandmotherly woman's lips at the familiar reaction. "I took one this morning," Rei lied.

"No, you didn't." The nanny knew her too well.

"Well… I don't want to."

Mrs. Yukana sighed in mild exasperation as Rei fell back on her fluffy pillows and rolled over on her side so she was facing in the opposite direction. She wished Mrs. Yukana would just leave her alone. Couldn't her nanny see she wasn't in the mood? Getting the message, Mrs. Yukana wisely didn't force the subject any further and returned to folding clothes.

Rei sighed, pulling her teddy bear into a tight hug. It seemed to the her that nobody cared about how she felt about the big move. Mrs. Yukana was acting as if it was just another day, and her father appeared to be purposely ignoring her, heading straight to his study after they finished eating a conversation-less breakfast together. In fact, she hadn't seen much of her father at all over the last few days. He was always either at his office in downtown Tokyo or working in his study.

Despite her promise not to cry, Rei felt a warm tear run down her cheek and onto her pillow as she thought of her father. She loved her father, but ever since her mother's death, she'd noticed a change in him. All he cared about was work anymore. Of course, his work had always been a huge part of his life, but now it seemed as if it were the only thing. He was like a virtual robot now, emotionless and dedicated only to his task. The ultimate workaholic.

Rei knew for a fact she wasn't the only casualty. Minoru, her father's best friend and her godfather, called almost everyday to check on Keitaro. Every time, Mrs. Yukana ended up giving him the exact same message: "I'm sorry, Uchizawa-san, but Hino-sama is working and not taking calls at the moment. Please call back tomorrow." Rei had heard the message so much, she now knew it by heart.

Why was her father acting this way? Why wouldn't he talk to Minoru? Why did he want her to move in with her grandfather? So many questions, and she couldn't think of one a single answer.

"Otou-sama…" she whispered, blinking back tears.

Rei suddenly felt the mattress shift underneath her as somebody else joined her on the bed. A warm hand began rubbing her back in a soothing circular motion. Startled by the touch, Rei craned her neck to see who was behind her and saw Mrs. Yukana staring down at her with caring blue eyes.

"Hime-chan?" Mrs. Yukana's soft voice said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Rei lied, wiping away another tear that managed to escape with the palm of her hand. She was embarrassed to be caught in such a state. There was no use crying over things she couldn't control, so why even bother? "I'm fine, Yukana-san."

"No, you're not. Now turn around and look at me."

Following orders, Rei reluctantly rolled over so that she was laying on her back, her hands folded over her stomach. She tried to give her nanny a small smile to prove she was okay, but even Rei knew she wasn't fooling anybody with her forced happiness. Mrs. Yukana sighed, brushing back a loose strand of dark hair out of the Rei's watery eyes.

"I know it's hard for you, sweetie," the nanny said. "You don't have to pretend you're okay with all that is happening. It's hard for me too."

Hearing that, for the first time, Rei noticed the tears in her nanny's eyes as well. "Really, Yukana-san?" she asked. "I didn't think anybody cared I was leaving."

"Of course we care," Mrs. Yukana insisted. "Your father and I care very much that you are leaving. It is breaking our hearts."

"Then why did otou-sama ask ojii-sama if I could move to Hikawa?"

As Rei suspected, Mrs. Yukana didn't have an immediate answer to her question either. The nanny situated herself on the bed so she was laying next to her beloved charge and wrapped an arm around Rei's waist before she attempted to explain.

"You father is going through a hard time right now, Hime-chan. When a person loses someone they love, sometimes they need time alone to grieve and heal, and I think that is why your father asked Kondo-sama if he would take you in. I think Hino-sama wants to be alone for a little. It doesn't mean he doesn't love you anymore. It just means he's going through a lot right now, and he probably doesn't think he can take care of you properly."

"But couldn't you take care of me, Yukana-san?" Rei asked, not understanding the logic behind her explanation. "You and okaa-sama were the ones who usually did anyway. Otou-sama was always too busy with work to pay attention to me. Why does that have to change? I don't understand. Why can't things stay the way they were before?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, sweetie." Mrs. Yukana pulled her closer, lightly kissing the top of her head. "But not all changes are bad, you know. I know you're not crazy about the idea of moving in with your grandfather at Hikawa, but who knows? You might end up liking it there."

"I doubt it," she said, rolling back on her side just as they heard the doorbell ring faintly ring downstairs.

After giving her charge one last kiss, Mrs. Yukana sat up on the bed and finished zipping up the suitcase. "That's probably Ogata-san with the car now," the nanny guessed. "He's a little early, though. I thought your father said he wasn't coming until noon. Oh, well. Come, Hime-chan, it's time to get ready to go."

"Do I have to?" Rei asked, once again pouting as she hugged her teddy bear. She wasn't ready to leave. Not yet.

"I'm afraid so."

Reluctantly, Rei grabbed the other small suitcase sitting beside the bed on the floor and followed Mrs. Yukana downstairs.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A sporty convertible pulled into the driveway of the Hino manor around eleven. Its driver, a young man whose hair perfectly matched the fire-engine red paint of his car, parked and turned off the ignition, but he didn't immediately get out. Instead, he stared at the handsome mansion and tapped his fingernails against the steering wheel, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to go inside.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Minoru said aloud to himself. He should have called before he made the trip over to the manor. It was rude to show up unannounced, but Minoru knew what would have happened if he did call. Mrs. Yukana would just give him the same sorry message she gave him the last fifty times he'd called over the past week or so - "I'm sorry, Uchizawa-san, but Hino-sama is working and not taking calls at the moment. Please call back tomorrow."

Thinking of the message, he rolled his eyes. Nobody could possibly work that much. Then again, this was Hino Keitaro he was talking about, the man whose name was almost synonymous with the term "workaholic." The same man who once stayed up for twenty-four hours straight to study for his college entrance exam. The same man who use to do extra credit assignments for fun. The same man who would rather organize his desk than go to a keg party. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine him working around the clock in some desperate attempt to avoid dealing with his feelings of grief. Keitaro went through a similar cycle for a period shortly after his uncle died.

Still, Minoru was at a lost for why his best friend didn't want to speak to him. Considering everything Keitaro had been through recently, one would think he could use a friend now more than ever. However, he seemed to be pushing everyone away again. It couldn't be very healthy.

"That settles it," Minoru decided, taking the keys out of his ignition and putting them in his pocket. He ran a hand through his wind-blown hair, checking his reflection in the rear-view mirror before he stepped out of the convertible. Then slamming the car door shut, he headed up the sidewalk leading to the front door.

Minoru rang the doorbell and waited. A few moments passed without answer, and Minoru frowned. Were they not home? He was about to ring the bell once again when, finally, the door opened and Mrs. Yukana greeted him with a sad smile.

"Oh, Uchizawa-san, I apologize for the delay in answering," she said, showing him in. "Please come in. We weren't expecting you today. I thought you were Ogata-san."

"It's my fault, Yukana-san. I should have called before coming over," he replied, stepping inside and slipping off his shoes. "Is this a bad time? I won't stay long. I just wanted -"

"Uchizawa-san!" a little girl's voice exclaimed in surprise. Excited footsteps scampered down the stairs, and Minoru smiled as his beloved godchild ran toward him. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Hey, Rei-chan." Minoru lifted the girl in his arms. "How are you today?"

The excitement on Rei's face disappeared as she rested her head on Minoru's shoulder. "Sad," she answered. "Today's moving day."

"Moving day?" Looking down the main hall, Minoru was surprised to find a pile of assorted suitcases of all shapes and sizes sitting near the bottom of the staircase, waiting to be moved. He turned toward Mrs. Yukana for confirmation of Rei's claim. "What's going on, Yukana-san? Why do you have the suitcases out?"

The older woman wrung her hands and sighed. "I'm afraid Hime-chan is correct, Uchizawa-san. She's moving in with her grandfather today. Hino-sama arranged it a few days ago."

Stunned by the announcement, Minoru lowered Rei back to the ground and let the little girl run over to her nanny. At first, he wasn't sure if he heard correctly. Surely, there must be some sort of mistake. Why would Keitaro send his daughter to live with the grandfather she had never met? It didn't make sense.

"Rei-chan is moving to Hikawa?"

Rei's nanny nodded. "We were just upstairs finishing packing the rest of Hime-chan's things when you arrived. Ogata-san is supposed to come around noon with the car."

"Where is Keitaro?" he demanded, already starting to head down the hallway. It was a pointless question. Knowing his best friend, Keitaro was most likely was working in his study.

"The office," Mrs. Yukana answered, as he expected. "But you shouldn't interrupt him, Uchizawa-san. He's busy working on a speech at the moment. You know Hino-sama doesn't like to be disturbed when he's writing."

Minoru ignored Mrs. Yukana's words of caution and continued down the hallway toward the study. Better than anyone, he knew Keitaro hated being bothered when there was work to be done, but considering the news he just learned about Rei, Minoru figured it was worth the interruption.

He still couldn't believe Keitaro was sending his daughter away to live at the Hikawa shrine with Kondo Saburo, a man didn't even know. Rei needed her father more than ever during this difficult time of mourning. Hadn't she suffered enough over the last couple weeks without adding to her pain and confusion? Rei had already lost one parent; the last thing she needed was to lose another.

Coming to the door of Keitaro's home office, Minoru knocked.

"Yukana-san, I told you I'm working," a man's familiar voice called out through the door. "Unless Ogata-kun is here with the car already, I don't want to be disturbed."

"It's not Yukana-san," Minoru replied. He reached for the knob of the door, and surprised to discover it not locked, pushed the door opened far enough to look inside. He saw his friend hunched over his desk, pen in hand and glasses falling down his nose. "It's me, Keitaro."

Keitaro briefly glanced up from his paperwork, but he didn't seem too surprised when he saw Minoru enter the office and close the door behind him. "Oh, Minoru," he said, turning his attention back to his speech. "It's nice to see you. I wasn't expecting you today."

At another time, Minoru might have made some joking, sarcastic comment along the lines of "How could you, when you won't even answer my phone calls, you idiot?" but he didn't think Keitaro would appreciate it at the moment. Instead, he took a seat in the chair in front of Keitaro's desk, not waiting for an invitation, and made himself at home. "Yes, well, I thought I would come by to see how you and Rei-chan are doing."

"We're fine."

"No, you're not."

The declaration got Keitaro's attention. His pen stopped scratching against the paper, and he sat the writing utensil down on the desk, slowly raising his bowed head. The motion allowed Minoru to finally see the dark circles underneath his sleepless gray eyes and the beginnings of a faint five o'clock shadow on his face. "Keitaro, forgive me for saying this, but you look terrible," Minoru said, alarmed by his appearance.

The blond took off his wire-rimmed glasses and rubbed his eyes. "It's nothing," he insisted with a half-hearted chuckle. "I haven't been able to sleep very well the last few days, that's all. I think that old couch over there has just about had it." Keitaro tilted his head in the direction of the couch in question, covered with a couple of pillows and a blanket tossed carelessly over the top.

"You've been sleeping in here? Well, why don't you sleep in your bedroom if the couch is so uncomfortable?" The moment the question slipped out of his mouth, Minoru felt like the biggest idiot in the world. Of course Keitaro wouldn't want to sleep in his bedroom, to sleep in the same bed he had shared with Takara. He lowered his eyes. "Oh, sorry."

Keitaro shook his head. "No need to apologize, Minoru," he said softly. "Truthfully, I don't think it matters where I sleep, whether it's here on the couch or upstairs in the bed. The dreams… Never mind."

"What about the dreams?"

"Nothing." Keitaro placed his glasses back on his nose and resumed work on his speech, obviously not wanting to talk about the subject any further. "Look, I appreciate your concern, and I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing, but I'm fine. There's no need for you to stay, so why don't you go back to Tokyo? I have work to do." Keitaro paused to glance down at his watch. "Besides, I'll be leaving in about an hour anyway."

"To take Rei-chan to Hikawa?" Minoru asked, the slightest touch of coldness in his voice as he remembered the sad look in his goddaughter's eyes. As much as he understood what Keitaro must be going through at the moment and wanted to help him, Minoru couldn't conceal his disapproval of the situation with Rei. He still felt Keitaro was doing the wrong thing by sending Rei away to live with her grandfather. "Yes, I know. Yukana-san and Rei-chan informed me of the news when I arrived."

"It's for the best."

"How? How is it for the best?" Minoru demanded to know. "Rei-chan is only a little girl. She just lost her mother, Keitaro. She's lonely, and scared, and confused. The last thing she needs right now is to move in with a man she's never met, even if he is her grandfather. I'm all for Rei-chan and Kondo-sama forming some kind of relationship, but what she needs is a father who will love and comfort her at a ti-"

"Dammit, Minoru! What if that father doesn't exist?" Keitaro shot back, not giving Minoru the chance to finish his lecture. The widower threw down his pen and hid his face in his hands, startling his friend with the rare outburst of emotion. "What if I can't be the father Rei-san needs?"

Not knowing quite how to respond, Minoru remained silent. He hadn't expected to see this side of Keitaro. Keitaro rarely, if ever, raised his voice in such a manner. Even when he became angry, he usually managed to hide his anger underneath a cool exterior of complete control. To see him lose that control was rare.

"I'm sorry," Keitaro apologized after a few moments passed. His voice returned to its normal volume. "I didn't mean to blow up at you like that."

"N-No, it's fine," Minoru stuttered, still a little shocked by Keitaro's unusual behavior. He leaned forward in the elegant armchair in which he was sitting and tried to gather his thoughts. Minoru had always known that Keitaro didn't spend much time with his daughter, but he had assumed it was simply because of the governor's heavy schedule. The idea of his behavior toward Rei having some deeper meaning never crossed his mind before now. "Keitaro -"

Keitaro sighed, massaging one of his temples. "Minoru, perhaps it would be best if you left now. I have work to do, and I'm sure you do as well."

It was more of an order than a request, but Minoru refused to go until he learned some answers to the questions now swimming in his head. He knew Keitaro well enough to know something other than Takara's death was bothering him. If it were only that, Keitaro never would have lost his temper like he did. No, it was something else, and Minoru was determined to discover what is was.

"No, as a matter of fact, I had my secretary clear my entire schedule for the day before I left," Minoru answered. "Now I'm glad I thought about it, because we need to talk."

"Really?" A blond eyebrow arched in Minoru's direction. "And since when did you earn a PhD in psychology? Between attending keg parties and jumping from bed to bed?"

"Keitaro, this isn't the time to crack jokes." The irony of the situation wasn't entirely lost on Minoru. Usually, it was he who cracked the jokes and Keitaro who told him to get serious. "What is going on with you? You haven't been answering my calls, you're sending Rei-chan to live with Kondo-sama -"

"Nothing is going on with me," Keitaro insisted once again, starting to sound annoyed. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm fine? I've been busy, okay? That's the reason why I haven't been able to talk to you and why I'm sending Rei-san to Hikawa. End of discussion."

"No, it's not the end of this discussion because I don't believe you."

Keitaro looked up, staring at his friend in stunned silence. Minoru imagined it wasn't often somebody said "no" to the governor of metropolitan Tokyo. Well, there was a first time for everything, he supposed. Whether he liked it or not, Minoru wasn't about to leave the small office until he found out the truth behind Keitaro's behavior.

"You really aren't going to drop this, are you?" Keitaro finally asked, dropping his head in defeat.

Minoru shook his head. "No, I'm not. Not until you at least tell me the meaning behind that outburst earlier. Why do you think you can't take care of Rei-chan?"

Keitaro sighed. "Please, Minoru, you can't honestly think I'm father material. I assure you nobody is ever going to give me an award for 'Father of the Year'. I barely even know my own daughter. Ask me her favorite color, her favorite food, or her favorite anime, and I'll give you a big, fat 'I don't know.'"

"Then, learn, Keitaro. I know I'm not a parent myself yet, and I'm probably way out of my league on this subject, but I do know parenting takes both time and effort. You can't expect to become the world's best parent overnight. Spend time with Rei-chan, talk to her, play with her…"

"If only it were that easy."

The sentence was uttered in a voice so low, for a moment, Minoru almost thought he'd imagined it. However, glancing over at his friend, he found Keitaro's face had softened significantly from earlier. The icy exterior he tried so hard to project melted away, leaving behind only a haunted man with melancholic gray eyes.

"If only it were that easy," Keitaro repeated.

"Why can't it be?" For some reason, Minoru's voice had instinctively lowered to match the Keitaro's. "Why can't it be that easy?"

"Because I've become otou-sama."

His words hung in the air, suspended in the sudden quiet that had fallen between them. Out of all the people close to Keitaro, Minoru alone knew of the true pain Hino Takeo inflicted on his only son with his constant emotional abuse. He doubted even Takara had known the whole story. Keitaro, understandably, didn't like to talk about his father very much. He only learned of it himself after he spent a night at the Hino manor as a kid and heard an eight-year-old Keitaro scream, waking from one of his nightmares. Keitaro told him about everything that night - his father's coldness toward him, the drunken rages, the nightmares that continued to haunt him even after Takeo's death… It was the only time Minoru remembered seeing his best friend cry.

"Keitaro…" Minoru said.

Reaching for his pen, Keitaro shook his head and began furiously writing on his paper like a man possessed. "Forget I said that, Minoru," he ordered. "I don't know why I even thought of otou-sama. Just go and leave me alone."

"No, I already told you I'm not leaving until I get to the bottom of this," Minoru said. He jumped up from his seat and leaned over the desk, grabbing the pen from Keitaro's hand as he looked the suprised man straight in the eye. Finally, he had his friend's full attention. "Tell me what's going on, Keitaro. Please."

"Will you give me back my pen if I agree?"

Minoru shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe."

"Minoru."

"Fine." After handing back the stolen pen, Minoru sat back in the armchair, pleased when Keitaro made no move to resume working. Maybe now he would get some real answers to his questions. "Now, tell me the truth. Why are you sending Rei-chan to Hikawa?"

"Because I'm afraid of what I might do," Keitaro finally admitted after a long pause. "I'm afraid I might… I might hurt her."

"Like your father hurt you?"

Keitaro nodded, wrapping his hands around the base of his neck as he propped his elbows on the desk. Things were finally beginning to make a little bit more sense to Minoru. Even if he didn't have that doctorate in psychology, he could still understand Keitaro's fear.

"But, Keitaro, you are not your father," Minoru stated, once again leaning forward in his chair. "Listen to me. I know he hurt you, but just because Hino Takeo-san was a bad father doesn't mean you will be, too."

"How do you know that for sure?" Keitaro asked. "I can already feel the resentment toward Rei-san building in me, no matter how hard I try to repress it. And I do try. Oh, how I try. But every time I look at her, I can't help…"

"What?"

Pushing his chair away from the desk, Keitaro stood and walked over to window. He pulled back the velvet drapes, letting the midday sunlight filter through to give the musky office some much needed light, and looked outside, a look of shame on his face. "Rei-san walked into my office the day of the funeral," he began. "I admit I wasn't exactly sober at the time -"

"You were drinking?" Minoru asked. He never knew Keitaro to be much of a drinker.

"Yes, it's not something I'm proud of," Keitaro said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't know what I was thinking. When we came home after the burial, the first thing I did was head to otou-sama's liquor cabinet. I found an old bottle of scotch, his favorite, sitting in there unopened. It looked so inviting, beckoning me to drink of its intoxicating potion. I only meant to have a glass, but…"

"Are you…?"

"Still drinking?" He shook his head. "I threw the bottle away once I realized what I was doing. I know alcohol isn't the answer, Minoru. It wasn't the answer for my father, and it isn't the answer for me. Besides, I find my work to be far more intoxicating than anything I could find at the bottom of a liquor bottle."

"But that's a good thing, Keitaro. You realized the truth before it ever had the chance to develop into a major problem too big for you to control. Doesn't that prove you are not becoming your father? You learned from his mistakes. Don't you see?"

"I wish I could believe that."

"Why can't you?"

Keitaro pressed his lips together, silent, focusing his attention on the blossoming sakura tree standing outside his office window. For a moment, Minoru thought he was going to simply ignore the question and revert back to his normal emotionless self, but then Keitaro heaved a heavy sigh, breaking the silence. He turned back around and continued with the story he began earlier.

"Rei-san walked in on me while I was drinking. She'd had a nightmare about her mother during her nap and wanted me to comfort her, but I couldn't. I didn't even try."

"Why not?"

"Because… Because she looks so much like Takara," Keitaro said. "When she opened the door and walked in here that day, with her hair down and those purple eyes of hers looking at me with such sadness, I could almost swear Rei-san was a younger version of her mother. And it hurt, Minoru. Pain so unbelievable, I felt as if my very heart had been ripped out of my chest. Not even the glass of scotch in my hand could numb the pain away."

"Keitaro…" Minoru slowly rose from his seat and walked over to where his best friend stood, gently placing one hand on Keitaro's shoulder. "I know this must be a difficult time for you, but you have to believe one day the pain will lessen. You won't always feel this way; the wounds will heal in their own time. However, sending Rei-chan away because you don't want to face your feelings is not the answer to your problem. She needs you, and even though you might not be able to see it at the moment, you need her just as much."

"I knew this was a mistake," Keitaro said bitterly, shrugging Minoru's hand off his shoulder. "I never should have told you anything. You don't understand. Why did I ever think you would? You've never lost anyone you loved, Minoru. Your family's still alive, and you seem perfectly content to live the life of a playboy for the rest of your days. How could ever imagine the pain I'm going through right now?"

A vision of a beautiful blonde with chocolate brown eyes flashed in Minoru's mind. Though Miyuki hadn't died, he still lost her the day she married Watanabe Kazuya. In many ways, he imagined it was not unlike losing a lover or a spouse. The only real difference was that Miyuki had never really been his in the first place, and that hurt more than the fact he'd lost her.

"I think I might understand better than you think," he replied in a hoarse voice.

Keitaro opened his mouth to reply just as they heard a soft knock on the door. Glancing down at his watch to check the time, Keitaro told who ever it was to come in, and the door opened, revealing the grandmotherly figure of Mrs. Yukana standing outside.

The nanny bowed to the two men after she entered the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Hino-sama," she apologized, "but Ogata-san is here with the car. Hime-chan's suitcases have already been loaded into the back trunk, and the driver says he's ready to leave for Hikawa when you are."

"Good," Keitaro said. Brushing by Minoru on the way back to his desk, he grabbed his jacket from off the back of the chair and slipped it on. "Tell Ogata-kun I'll be out there shortly. Uchizawa-san and I are about finished with our business here."

"As you wish, Hino-sama."

With one last bow, the old nanny exited the office and closed the door behind her. After Mrs. Yukana left, Minoru made one last attempt to change Keitaro's mind about sending Rei to live at Hikawa.

"Please, Keitaro, don't push her away," he pleaded softly, knowing perfectly well his pleas were falling on deaf ears. "Don't push another person away because you're afraid of getting hurt. Rei-chan needs you. You're making a mistake."

"I've made my decision, Minoru," Keitaro declared, heading to the door. "Now, come. I'll walk you to your car."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rei and Mrs. Yukana were saying their final goodbyes to each other beside the limo parked out front when Keitaro and Minoru exited the manor a few minutes later.

Despite his attempts to ignore the tender moment between the nanny and her charge, Keitaro couldn't help but feel a small twinge of guilt upon seeing the scene. In his mind, of course, he always knew it would be hard for the two of them to be separated, but for the first time since he visited Hikawa, the true impact of his decision hit home. He felt his pace gradually slow to a crawl, stopping completely about a few feet away.

_She needs you, and even though you might not be able to see it at the moment, you need her just as much._

Keitaro shook his head, forcing himself to ignore the tiny voice in the back of his mind that kept telling him he was making a mistake by sending his daughter away. The voice sounded entirely too much like Minoru to be his own. He blamed his sudden mixed emotions on the redhead and mentally cursed his well-meaning best friend for sticking his nose where it didn't belong.

 _This is ridiculous_ , Keitaro thought, berating himself for his moment of weakness. Like he told Minoru in the office, this was the best thing for his daughter. Rei's leaving was the best thing for everyone. He had too much to deal with at the moment, both personally and professionally, to take on the role of a single father, and even if he didn't…

"They're close, aren't they?" the redhead asked, interrupting Keitaro's thoughts. Minoru, who was walking behind him on the way to the red convertible parked in the driveway, had noticed Keitaro's reaction and came up beside him, a sympathetic look in his eyes as he watched Mrs. Yukana and Rei give each other another hug.

Keitaro nodded. "Yes, very close."

"It must be hard for Rei-chan to say goodbye to Yukana-san. She's been Rei-chan's nanny ever since she was born, hasn't she?"

"Pretty much."

"What's going to happen to Yukana-san now that Rei-chan's leaving? Will she stay at the manor?"

"For another month or so, until I hire another housekeeper. Yukana-san decided she wanted to retire after I told her Rei-san would be living at Hikawa. Her daughter-in-law had a baby about a month ago, so she's moving to Osaka to help."

"Then it really is goodbye for them, isn't it?" Minoru asked, digging his hand into his pants pocket and pulling out the keys to his nearby convertible.

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"It doesn't have to be, though, Keitaro," Minoru pointed out softly. "There's still time for you to change your mind, you know."

Keitaro sighed. Why did he have to keep bringing this up? It didn't surprise Keitaro in the least to hear that Minoru still hadn't given up on the subject of Rei's leaving, even though he specifically told him he didn't want to talk about it anymore. It had been that way all their lives. Whenever Minoru got an idea in his head, he simply could not let it go until he got what he wanted. It usually infuriated Keitaro to no end, and this time was no exception. For once, he wished Minoru would listen to him and let him be. He knew what he was doing.

"Look, Minoru, I want you to drop it," Keitaro ordered, turning around to face his best friend. "I know you are only trying to help, and I do appreciate that, but I am sick and tired of this. I told you I made my decision, and I fully intend to stand by it. I'm sorry if you don't agree with me, but that is the way it is. Nothing you can say or do will make me change my mind."

"But you're making a mistake."

"No, I'm not," he insisted. "Can't you see I'm trying to do what I believe is best for Rei-san?"

"Then why do I get the feeling you're only doing what's best for Keitaro?" Minoru shot back.

The hurtful words stung Keitaro like a bee, leaving him too stunned to reply. Minoru's eyes widened, only then comprehending what he truly said, but it was too late to take them back. The damage had been done.

"I'm sorry, Keitaro," Minoru apologized. "It slipped out of my mouth before I even had the chance to think. I shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine, Minoru," he said curtly.

By that time, Rei had finished saying goodbye to Mrs. Yukana and spotted Keitaro and her godfather standing in the middle of the driveway. She walked over, her favorite teddy bear cradled in her arms and a sad look in her violet eyes.

"Rei-san, are you ready to leave?" Keitaro asked.

The little girl shrugged her shoulders. "I guess so, otou-sama," Rei replied without much enthusiasm. The tone in her voice suggested she wasn't ready to leave at all, but Keitaro didn't allow himself to think about that.

"Well, then, I suppose we should get in the car. I told your grandfather we would arrive at Hikawa around one o'clock, and it's about an hour drive from here to the shrine. We don't want to be late."

"Yes, otou-sama."

Minoru jingled his car keys in his hand. "I should be going as well, if you two are leaving," he said. He kneeled in front of his goddaughter and lifted her lowered chin to say goodbye. "Bye, Rei-chan. I'll try to visit you at Hikawa as often as I can. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Rei nodded, the faintest of smiles on her pink lips. "Very much, Uchizawa-san. Thanks."

"Be a good girl for your grandfather, okay?"

"I'll try."

"I know you will," he said, affectionately ruffling Rei's long black hair. "Take care of yourself, kiddo."

Standing back up, Minoru gave Keitaro one last pointed look, silently begging him to change him to change his mind. However, Keitaro averted his gaze elsewhere, assuring himself for what seemed like the hundredth time since Minoru arrived he was doing the right thing. Getting the message, Minoru said a quick goodbye and walked to his parked car. Seconds later, the red convertible was speeding down the street.

 _Why does he always feel he has the right to invade my personal life?_ Keitaro asked himself as he watched Minoru's car turn the intersection, heading in the direction of downtown Tokyo. Keitaro knew his friend meant well, but sometimes he wished Minoru would mind his own business. In his heart, he knew this was doing the right thing, for both him and Rei.

Right?

Then why was he suddenly so unsure?

"Otou-sama?"

Rei's voice broke Keitaro from his thoughts. Visibly swallowing, he glanced down at the little girl standing beside him, holding the teddy bear her mother had made her close to her chest. His heart ached at the sight.

Why did she have to look so much like Takara? Why did this have to be so hard?

"Rei-san." His voice was barely a whisper on the light breeze which blew around them.

"Are we leaving now?" she asked, reaching for his hand.

Unaccustomed to Rei making such a gesture toward him, her touch startled Keitaro. A few seconds passed before her question fully registered in his mind. When it did, he nodded and tightened his grasp around her tiny hand, regaining his composure.

"Yes, of course. We don't want to be late," he replied, using the same business-like tone he used at the office in an attempt to hide his emotions. "Come, Rei-san. Let's go."

Keitaro led the girl back to the limousine, where Ogata, his loyal chauffeur since he took office, ceremoniously held the back door open for them. He allowed Rei to climb in first, then once she had scooted over to the other side of the seat, Keitaro joined her as well. After Rei called out a final goodbye to an emotional Mrs. Yukana, the door closed behind them, and moments later, the limousine pulled away from the manor and began on its way to the Hikawa shrine.

The drive to Tokyo was relatively quiet. Rei evidently wasn't in the mood for talking, and, to be honest, neither was Keitaro. He kept his attention focused on the country scenery passing by his window, arms crossed and head turned as he tried not to notice the small pout on his daughter's lips.

It proved difficult to ignore, though. Despite his best efforts not to look for fear of the pain it caused, Keitaro occasionally found himself glancing over at the little girl sitting beside him. Rei sat staring straight ahead, her legs crossed at the ankles and her teddy bear sitting in her lap, looking very much like her mother with her hair loose over her shoulders...

Seeing the bear, he smiled sadly. Rei never went anywhere without that silly bear, did she? Keitaro remembered how much work her mother put into making that bear for Rei last year. Because Takara had wanted to keep the present a surprise from their daughter, he had allowed her the use of his study. For weeks, Takara had stayed up almost as late as he did, sewing and cutting fabric on his office floor. She made a dreadful mess of things, of course, but for some reason, the adorable look of intense concentration he saw on her face whenever he would look up from his work made it all worthwhile.

Oh, how he wished he could go back in time to those late autumn nights…

"Otou-sama?"

Startled by the soft voice, Keitaro involuntarily jumped. He hadn't noticed until he took a quick glance out the window, but they were already within the Tokyo city limits. It wouldn't be long now before they arrived at Hikawa. He judged only about ten or fifteen more minutes of driving, unless traffic was backed up.

"What is it, Rei-san?" he asked, tapping his fingertips against the armrest on the door. Keitaro averted his eyes to the back of Ogata's head in front of him.

"Do you think ojii-sama will like me?" she asked.

"I'm sure he will. You are Kondo-sama's granddaughter and he loves you. Why else would he let you move in with him?"

Rei frowned. "But why hasn't he wanted to meet me before? If ojii-sama loves me, then why didn't he ever come to the manor to visit? I didn't even know about him until a few days ago."

Unable to come up with a suitable answer to her questions, Keitaro pressed his lips together in silence. The questions took him by surprise, although Keitaro supposed he should have expected the subject to come up sometime. What could he tell her? That Saburo disapproved of their marriage and vowed never to speak to her mother ever again? No, he couldn't tell Rei that. As much as Saburo had hurt Takara with his disownment of her, Keitaro knew Takara would never want him to speak ill of her beloved father. Besides, Keitaro didn't want to provoke any undue animosity between Rei and Saburo, especially since Takara's father was so kind to let his granddaughter move in with him. He would let Saburo decide what he wanted to tell Rei about what had happened, if anything.

"It's complicated, Rei-san," he finally said, effectively dodging the question. Keitaro hoped it would be enough.

Rei didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but fortunately, she didn't pursue the subject any further. They rode the rest of the way in silence, each staring out their respective windows until the limo came to a smooth stop in front of the Hikawa shrine.

Saburo was already standing at the bottom of the stone steps leading to the shrine when they arrived. He wore his normal priestly attire and had a straw broom in his hands, which he was using to sweep away fallen sakura petals from the sidewalk. Raising his head, he waved when the limo pulled up.

Rei gasped when she saw the old man for the first time. "Is that ojii-sama?" she asked.

"Yes, he is," Keitaro answered, waiting for Ogata to get out of the driver's seat and open his door.

"I saw him at okaa-sama's funeral," Rei said, still looking out the tinted windows at the man she now knew to be her grandfather. Her voice was low and sorrowful as she placed her tiny hand against the glass. "I didn't know who he was, though. No wonder he looked so sad that day…"

"Yes, it must have been hard for him." The door opened then, and Keitaro turned to step out. "Come, Rei-san. I'll properly introduce you before I go."

But Rei was reluctant to leave. The little girl clutched her teddy bear tightly, not moving from her spot on the passenger's side of the car, and sighed.

"Do I have to, otou-sama?" she asked, giving her father pause.

Keitaro slowly turned back around in his seat. For the first time since they left the manor, he allowed himself to really look at Rei. As always, the familiar pain in his heart which surfaced every time he laid eyes on his young daughter returned, but this time, it was accompanied by another feeling he couldn't quite describe. Guilt? Regret? Sorrow?

The feeling left him momentarily speechless. What was happening to him? He had been perfectly fine when they left the house. Keitaro thought he had pushed those doubts about whether or not he was doing the right thing away after the confrontation with Minoru, but now they were back, stronger than ever.

Was he really doing the best thing for Rei, or had Minoru been right? Maybe he was being selfish by sending his daughter away. Maybe he was running away from his pain…

Keitaro pushed the thoughts away, noticing Saburo was anxiously waiting for them outside the car. This wasn't the time or the place to start a debate with himself - not when they were already here. The decision had already been made, and it was too late to change his mind. Rei would be fine here at Hikawa with her grandfather once she got used to the idea, he was sure of it. Much happier than she would ever be with him.

Softly, he reached over and touched her elbow. "Rei-san, let's go," Keitaro said in a low, but firm voice, showing he meant business.

Having no choice in the matter, Rei finally followed her father out of the car, wiping away a tear that had managed to roll down her cheek. Saburo greeted them with a low bow when they came out.

"Welcome to the Hikawa shrine."

Keitaro bowed in return. "Good afternoon, Kondo-sama," he said. "I apologize for our lateness. We had an unexpected visitor arrive at the manor before we left, and I'm afraid we weren't able to leave on schedule."

"It's fine, Hino-sama. I wasn't waiting long. Besides, it gave the chance to finish sweeping the stairs before you two arrived." The priest leaned his broom against the nearby stair rail and smiled when his dark eyes landed on Rei. The little girl, feeling a little shy, was hiding behind her father's legs. "So, are you going to introduce me to this lovely young lady?"

Keitaro reached behind him, giving his daughter a gentle push forward. "Kondo-sama, I would like you to meet your granddaughter, Rei-san," he said, introducing the uncharacteristically timid girl. "Rei-san, this is your grandfather, Kondo Saburo-sama."

"Good afternoon, ojii-sama," Rei finally said, giving him a small bow though her eyes still didn't look up from the large crack in the sidewalk that currently held her undivided attention. "It's very nice to meet you."

"It's very nice to meet you, too, Rei-chan." Saburo bended down and lifted her chin so he could better see her face. A look of sadness crossed his wrinkled features, which Keitaro attributed to Rei's uncanny resemblance to Takara, but Saburo quickly recovered from the shock and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You know, you look exactly like your mother did when she was your age. Very pretty."

"Really?" she asked. A trail of rosy pink spread across her porcelain cheeks at the compliment, and Rei smiled. "Thank you."

Keitaro watched the scene, relieved Saburo and Rei seemed to like each other. They would be fine. Saburo obviously loved his granddaughter very much, and Rei, even if she was a little hesitant at first, appeared to be warming to the old man's charms. Once they got to know each other better, they would get along famously.

He had made the right decision, Keitaro concluded.

For all of them.

Deciding it was time to leave, Keitaro kneeled before his daughter to say goodbye. A short farewell would be best. He didn't want to make this any harder on Rei than it needed to be. Keitaro already noticed another tear beginning to roll down her cheek when she saw him kneel down, knowing what was about to happen, and even though he tried to not let it bother him, he couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt in his heart at the sight. He brushed the feeling aside, however, assuring himself "It was for the best." The phrase seemed to have become his personal mantra over the last few weeks.

"Don't cry, Rei-san," Keitaro said softly as Saburo stepped away, allowing them to say a private goodbye. He pulled a handkerchief from inside his jacket pocket and wiped the offending tear away. "You'll be fine here at Hikawa. I promise. Kondo-sama is going to take good care of you, okay? Your grandfather is a very nice man, and I know he loves you very much. Now, I need to go."

Rei sniffled. "But I don't want you to go, otou-sama. I want to go back to the manor with you and Yukana-san. Ojii-sama seems nice, but I don't want to stay here. Please take me back."

"I can't. You have to stay, at least for a little while."

"Why?"

"Rei-san…" Keitaro sighed, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger. How could he make her understand without telling her the truth? It was impossible, yet he knew he couldn't tell her the real reason he was sending her away. She was too young to comprehend what he was going through, anyway. "It's complicated," he said, using the same excuse he used before.

Rei's pink lips curled into a pout. "Why do you keep saying that? Why can't you tell me the truth, otou-sama? I can handle it. I'm almost seven, you know. I'm not a baby anymore. Please, just tell me."

She was not making things easier. If only he knew what to say, but for once, his gift of word completely escaped him. All he could do was stare at her tear-streaked face, thinking how much Rei reminded him of Takara and how much he wished she didn't.

"I have to go now, Rei-san," he said hoarsely, ignoring her questions. "Please, I'm asking you to be a big girl about this. I need to go. I'm sorry."

Keitaro began to stand back up to leave, but in an unexpected move, his daughter threw her arms around him and buried her face in his jacket, leaving him unable to do so. "No, please don't go," Rei begged, her voice muffled in the woolen fabric of his suit. It sounded as if she might be crying again, but he couldn't be sure. "I want to stay with you! Don't leave me here, otou-sama. I want to go home. Take me home!"

Stunned in all meaning of the word by Rei's sudden outburst, Keitaro didn't know what to do. He wasn't accustomed to his usually well-behaved daughter making such a scene. Hesitantly, Keitaro wrapped his arms around her shaking body and looked up at Saburo for help.

The priest didn't seem to have any ideas either. However, Saburo finally stepped forward and placed his hands on Rei's shoulders, gently pulling her away.

"Rei-chan, your father has to go now," he said, once he managed to disengage the sobbing child from Keitaro's arms. Saburo then kneeled down on the sidewalk, turning his granddaughter around so that she faced him, and took her tiny hand in his own. "I know this is hard for you, sweetie, but if it makes you feel any better, I really would like it if you stayed. It's been many years since I had someone to keep me company here in this old shrine, and it gets lonely sometimes. I was really looking forward to having a little girl around the house again. It's been far too lonesome since your mother left."

Rei wiped away her tears with the sleeve covering her other arm and sniffled. "You're lonely, ojii-sama?"

Saburo nodded. "Very much so," he said, smoothing down a few fly away strands of her raven hair. "I also would like the chance to get to know you better. I've missed so much of your life so far, Rei-chan. That's why when your father offered to let you come live with me for awhile, I jumped at the chance. I thought it would be the perfect way for us to get to know one another better. You see?"

"I guess so," Rei replied.

"So, will you stay with me? Please?"

"I-I… But…"

The little girl paused and turned her head around to look behind her for guidance. In her eyes, Keitaro saw Rei was torn over what to do. She didn't want to disappoint her grandfather, yet in his heart, he knew the only thing she wanted to do was go back home to the manor with him. But she couldn't, and the sooner Rei understood that, the better.

Standing back up, Keitaro clenched his fists and turned his gaze away from that of his daughter's, unable to look her in the eye. "Rei-san, stay with your grandfather," he ordered. "I have to go now."

"But, otou-sama…"

"It's for the best. I'm sorry. Goodbye, Rei-san."

He headed to the limo before she could object any further.


	8. Ashes On The Wind, Part II

He was gone.

Rei watched her father's limo pull away from the shrine, tears stinging her eyes despite her best attempts not to cry again. She didn't understand what had happened. Why did he leave her? What had she done wrong?

She wanted to run after the limousine and convince her father to take her with him, but a firm hand on her shoulder held her back. Rei craned her neck upwards to see her grandfather giving her a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan," the old man said. "I know you wanted to go back home to the manor with your father. I can't say I blame you. Hino-sama sprung this idea of moving here to the Hikawa shrine on you quite suddenly, didn't he?"

Rei nodded, wiping her sleeve across her blurry eyes. "Yes, he did," she replied. "I didn't even know I had a grandfather until about a week ago. Okaa-sama never talked about you."

"No, I imagine she didn't." His already deep brown eyes took on an even darker color, reminding Rei of the mournful look he wore the day of the funeral. "We didn't part on the best of terms."

Once again, Rei wondered what had happened to her mother and her grandfather to cause such a riff between them. Somehow, she sensed it had something to do with her father. The two men were polite enough to each other when they arrived, but Rei suspected most of it had been an act for her benefit. She had an uncanny ability to read people and their emotions, and while her father was there, she had detected a faint feeling of animosity between the two. However, remembering what her father said to her in the car when she tried to ask him about it, Rei decided not to bug her grandfather with her questions at the moment, figuring he would tell her in time if he thought it was important for her to know. Besides, it looked like she would have all the time in the world to learn about her mother's mysterious past now that she was living at Hikawa.

Breaking from his melancholic mood, her grandfather grabbed a couple of her suitcases sitting on the sidewalk courtesy of her father's chauffeur and began walking up the steps. "Come, Rei-chan," he ordered. "Let's put these inside the living quarters, then I'll give you the grand tour of Hikawa."

"Hai, ojii-sama," she agreed, grabbing the rest and following him up the stairs to the shrine.

The shrine's living quarters were much different from the Western style houses to which she was accustomed. Stepping inside, Rei's eyes widened as she took it all in. Other than the former Governor Negishi's house, which was much more opulent in style and not exactly traditional in the usual meaning of the word, it was the first time she ever saw the inside of a real Japanese-style house. Tatami mats covered the floor instead of carpet, and the walls weren't really walls at all, but simply separators that could be easily moved. Most of the furniture was low to the ground, and chairs were nonexistent. It was decorated very simply, yet Rei thought the house was beautiful in its own special way.

Her grandfather lead Rei to one of the walls, sliding the paper separator to the side to reveal a "room," if it could be called that. Judging by the medium-sized futon sitting in the middle, it was supposed to be a sleeping area. He sat her heavy suitcases down on the floor beside the futon and motioned her to do the same.

"This is where you'll be sleeping," he informed her. "This is where Takara slept when she was a little girl, so I thought you would like it. My bedroom is next door."

"This was okaa-sama's bedroom?" Rei looked around the rather bare area with a newfound appreciation. "Thank you, ojii-sama. I love it."

The priest chuckled. "You can stop being so formal, Rei-chan. You make me feel so old and revered when you call me that."

"I'm sorry, ojii-sam - I mean, ojii-san," she apologized. "I'll try to remember that from now on."

He affectionately ruffled her hair. "That's better," he saud. "Now, would you like to unpack and get settled first, or shall we go on that tour I promised you?"

Rei shrugged. Personally, she didn't really care either way, so it made no difference to her what they decided to do. Both would be done eventually. She did have to admit she was a little curious about the rest of the shrine, though. Ever since the first time her mother took her to a festival at the local shrine near the manor, Rei had developed somewhat of a small fascination with the beautifully simplistic buildings. It was nice to be able to see one up close and personal, instead of just looking at pictures in coffee table books.

"I guess we can go on the tour," Rei decided, leaving her teddy bear on the futon. "I can unpack later."

"Good. Then follow me."

They began the tour with the rest of the living quarters, though there wasn't much more to see. Other than the two sleeping areas, there was a place to prepare food, the large room he collectively the living area, and an old-fashioned bathroom equipped with a wooden bathtub. Although she wrinkled her nose in distaste at the sight of the hated bath, Rei did find it interesting to learn the bath water was heated by fire. There was also the prayer room, where the sacred fire of the shrine was kept.

After he finished showing Rei the house, her grandfather then led her back outside to show her the rest of the shrine. He pointed out the small office off to the side where they sold lucky charms and paper fortunes, the shrine's main source of income, as well as the haiden. The haiden, Rei learned, was the hall of worship. Wide-eyed, she watched her grandfather make an offering to the god of the shrine by clapping his hands and tugging a rope attached to a bell to announce his presence. He then chanted a short prayer, palms together in front of his chin, before putting a couple of coins into a slatted wooden box.

Lastly, he showed her the honden, or the main part of the shrine. They didn't go inside, as it was off limits to everybody except priests, but her grandfather told her it was the place that housed the shintai. The shintai was the sacred object the god of the shrine supposedly inhabited.

"The god lives inside the object?" Rei asked, confused when she heard that. Her mostly Catholic upbringing found the idea strange and foreign.

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that, but yes, that is the basic idea," Saburo replied. "You see, the Shinto gods are rather different than the gods of other religions. There is no separation of the spiritual and the material worlds. We believe gods inhabit nature."

"Oh."

"I take it Takara didn't educate you much about her religion, did she?" the priest asked.

Rei shook her head, embarrassed by her ignorance of something that meant so much to her grandfather. "Okaa-sama told me a little about Shinto, and sometimes she took me to shrine festivals, but she didn't like to talk about it much because otou-sama wanted me to follow his religion," she explained, her hand reaching up to clutch the tiny crucifix hidden beneath her dress. A small smile crossed her lips as she remembered the tiny chapel they attended near the manor. "Sunday morning Mass was one of the few times I could count on seeing him. No matter how busy he was with work, otou-sama always cleared his schedule to accompany me and okaa-sama - when she felt up to it - to church."

"Oh, I see…" he murmured.

It was his turn to be embarrassed as the old man rubbed the back of his neck. Rei guessed he had expected her to be Shinto like her mother. She lowered her gaze to the floor, sad she had disappointed him with the revelation she was Catholic.

"I'm sorry, ojii-san."

"Sorry?" He crouched down to her level and lifted her chin, forcing Rei to look at him. "Rei-chan, listen to me. There's absolutely no reason why you should apologize for being Catholic. Never, ever apologize for your beliefs."

"But aren't you mad I'm not Shinto?"

"Mad?" He chuckled. "No, of course not, sweetie. What made you think that…?" His voice trailed off, the answer dawning on him. "Oh, I believe it is me who owes you the apology."

"Why?" Rei tilted her head to the side with a look of confusion on her face, not understanding why her grandfather would feel he had to apologize. He hadn't done anything wrong. It wasn't his fault they followed different religions.

The old man sighed before taking her hands in his own. "I didn't mean to make you feel ashamed about your religion, Rei-chan," he said softly. "Forgive me."

Looking into his eyes, Rei saw deep regret, more than she would have expected for such a simple misunderstanding. She didn't think it was a big deal, so why did he?

"It's okay, ojii-san," she assured him. "It's not a big deal."

"Yes, it is." He stood back up, his arms crossed as he leaned against the exterior of the honden. Looking up, the back of his head touched the wall, and he suddenly appeared much older than his fifty or sixty years, especially in his eyes. "I was surprised, but I'm afraid my reaction might have made it seemed I was judging you. That was the last thing I wanted to do."

"Judging me?"

"Some habits apparently die hard," he replied ruefully. "The Shinto religion is surprisingly accepting of other beliefs, but I suppose a part of me still holds some prejudice against those who don't share mine. It was that prejudice that cost me my daughter…"

Rei abruptly glanced up at her grandfather, surprised by his words. Was that part of the reason Saburo stopped talking to her mother? Because Takara had married her father, a Catholic? That would explain the feeling she felt between them earlier when Keitaro dropped her off at Hikawa. She wanted to ask him more, but before she got the chance, Saburo shook his head.

"Never mind me," he said with a small smile. "You'll have to forgive the old man. Sometimes I have a tendency to ramble. Shall we go back inside?"

He held out his hand to her, which Rei took, deciding she would ask him about what he said later. He didn't seem inclined to offer any more information on his own accord. Letting her grandfather lead her back to the house, Rei sighed and slumped her shoulders in disappointment. Why wouldn't anybody tell her anything?

They were almost back at the house when Rei suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, a strange feeling slowly coming over her. She never felt anything like it before. It wasn't like the usual feelings associated with her "gifts." Instead, it felt almost…magical. That was the only word she could think of to describe it. Where could it be coming from, though?

She shifted her eyes to a couple of crows dancing in the yard of the shrine. Too occupied with her own thoughts during their tour, Rei hadn't noticed them until now. There were a few more crows flying around up ahead, but her attention fell solely on the two dancers. Something was different about those two. Rei couldn't quite put her finger on it though. They looked exactly like all the other crows that made their home at the shrine, with glossy black feathers and beady eyes that made them look less than friendly, yet there was something about them...

"Rei-chan?" Her grandfather, noticing she had let go of his hand and now lagged behind, stopped and turned around. "Rei-chan, what is it? Is something wrong?"

Rei shook her head, her eyes still focused on the two crows. It was almost as if she was in some kind of trance. "You have crows in your backyard, ojii-san?" she asked.

The priest laughed. "You know crows are common in the city, sweetie. You'll always find a few around here. They seem to like it here at Hikawa for some reason. Some have been living here for years."

Rei heard his words, but she wasn't paying much attention to them. Two unfamiliar names were forming in the back of her mind. Even though she never heard the names before, Rei immediately knew who they belong to when the two crows looked at her, then flew off. She ran after them, calling their names.

"Phobos! Deimos!"

Her grandfather was stunned, his eyes widening until they were almost as big as saucers. "R-Rei-chan?" he stuttered. "W-What? But h-how?"

Finally catching up to the crows, Rei smiled as the one she called Deimos perched on her shoulder while Phobos allowed her to pet its head. She was mildly surprised at how tame they seemed to be, compared to their rather fearsome appearance. She wasn't afraid of them at all.

"Cute!" she exclaimed, looking over her other shoulder at her grandfather. "Look at these cute crows, ojii-san. Their names are Phobos and Deimos. I felt it just now. I don't know how I know it; I just do."

"Did Takara tell you that, Rei-chan?" he asked, still quite shocked by the whole thing. "Did your mother tell you about Phobos and Deimos?"

"No, okaa-sama never told me anything about her life at Hikawa."

"But how did you know? I don't understand. How could you know their names were Phobos and Deimos if Takara never told you?"

Rei giggled, enjoying the look of complete and total confusion on his face. She then bent down to gather some corn to feed her new friends, thinking she rather liked it here after all.

"I don't know, ojii-san. Magic, I guess."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, after Saburo finished his final round of meditation for the day, the old priest exited the prayer room, thoughts of the vision he saw in the sacred fire still fresh in his mind. Again, he'd seen the sign of Mars in the dancing flames, glowing a dark red against the oranges and yellows, and it left him just as confused as before. In all his years of reading fires, Saburo never recalled seeing such a sight other than those three times: the day he learned his daughter was pregnant, the day of his granddaughter's birth, and tonight. But what could it mean?

He sensed the sign was of great importance, but every time Saburo thought he was close to finally understanding the fire's secret, the vision would suddenly disappear, and any memory he had of his thoughts during the reading vanished, leaving behind only the physical remembrance of the astrological sign of Mars. He almost wished he would forget that too. The nights were restless whenever he had the vision, his mind working overtime to decipher the cryptic message. Whoever was sending the vision, whether it be the god of the shrine or some other outside force, obviously didn't want Saburo to know its secret just yet. The fire must enjoy teasing him.

Deciding not to think about the vision anymore, Saburo slid the door to the prayer room shut and headed toward Takara's old bedroom to check on his granddaughter. Rei was supposed to be getting a good night's rest before her first day of school, but though the door to her room was closed, the light of a lamp shone dimly through the paper-thin walls. Saburo knocked lightly. When there was no answer, he slid the door open and stepped inside. He found the little girl sitting wide awake on the futon in the middle of the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees, dressed in a long, frilly white nightgown and her hair pulled into two messy braids on either side of her head. "Rei-chan?"

Hearing her name, Rei glanced up at her grandfather, who was still very much a stranger to her, with wide, frightened eyes. "Ojii-sama, I'm sorry," she apologized, reaching for the blanket she'd tossed aside. "I'm going to bed right now."

"Like I said before, there's no need to be so formal with me, Rei-chan," Saburo said with a kind smile, walking further into the room. "And don't worry, I'm not angry with you for still being up. It must be difficult to sleep in an unfamiliar room for the first time, isn't it?"

Rei nodded, her gaze sad as she look around the room that once belonged to her mother. Other than the new futon, everything was just as it was when Takara left on that stormy night ten years ago. Saburo never did find the courage to go through the stuff she left behind. "Was this really okaa-sama's room when she was my age?" Rei asked.

"Yes, it was."

"It's different from my room in the manor," she said. "Smaller…but I like it."

Saburo smiled and kneeled down on the floor beside the futon. Rei was trying so hard to be the perfect little guest, but he knew the ancient Shinto shrine must pale in comparison to her old home. Though he never visited the Hino manor, from Miyuki's descriptions, it certainly seemed like a palace fit for the Emperor of Japan himself. How could he possibly compete with that?

"You don't have to say that if you don't mean it, Rei-chan. I know you're accustomed to a more Western-style house. If it will make you more comfortable, tomorrow, after I drop you off at your school, I'll go to the department store and buy you a new bed. Maybe something with a clown face painted on the headboard, or perhaps one of those beds shaped like a car..."

"No, you don't have to do that…ojii-san." She fumbled over the use of the less formal address, giving her grandfather a tiny, proud grin. "The futon is nice. Really, it is. That's not the reason I can't go to bed."

"Then, why can't you fall asleep?" Saburo asked. "Are you nervous about your first day at the new school?"

"A little," she admitted, her tiny hand reaching for the stuffed animal sitting beside her pillow. Rei pulled the soft brown teddy bear into a tight hug, her violet eyes downcast. "Why do I have to go to a new school? I really liked my old school, and I miss my friends…"

"You'll make new friends at TA Academy. It's early in the school year, so I'm sure everybody's still trying to get to know each other," Saburo assured her. The TA Academy for Girls was the Catholic parochial school Rei's father decided she should attend, known for its academic excellence and exclusivity. "Plus, the Academy is one of the best private schools in all of Tokyo. You're very lucky they accepted you."

"Did okaa-sama go to the Academy?"

"No, Takara attended the public school in the Juuban district."

"Oh."

Rei held the teddy bear even tighter to her chest, holding onto the stuffed animal as if it were a life preserver and she was lost at sea. Saburo could only imagine how his only granddaughter must feel. Her entire life had been turned upside down in the course of a very short period of time. Not only had she lost her mother, who Saburo could tell Rei absolutely adored, but her home, her friends, and her school as well. Any number of six-year-olds would have fallen apart, having to deal with such things at such a tender age. Rei, however, seemed to be holding up quite well, considering the circumstances. She was such a brave little girl, so much like her mother…

With a gentle hand, Saburo began stroking the back of the little girl's head. "It's going to be okay, Rei-chan," the priest said as she glanced back up in surprise. He gave her another small smile, then played with one of the bear's floppy ears that looked as if it were about to fall off. Saburo made a mental note to stitch the ear back up while Rei was in school tomorrow. "So, who's this fuzzy friend?"

"His name is Yoshi-san," she answered, handing the bear to her grandfather to see. "He's my best friend in the entire world. Okaa-sama made him for me last year for Christmas."

Saburo chuckled as he gave the teddy bear the once-over. It appeared his daughter's sewing skills hadn't improved much over the years. She never did like the home economics classes the school had forced her to take. He recognized Takara's handiwork in the visible seams and the not-quite-level black button eyes, along with the floppy ear that looked more like it belonged on a bunny rabbit rather than a teddy bear, but every single stitch was done with great love for its owner. That much he could see, and he knew in Rei's eyes, the toy was absolutely perfect.

He handed the bear back to his granddaughter, a reflective look in his brown eyes. "You know, when she was a little girl, your mother had a teddy bear, too," he said. "My wife - your late grandmother - crafted it as a gift for her birthday one year, and oh, how she loved that silly bear! Takara took it everywhere, even to school until one of her teachers caught her playing with it during class instead of paying attention to the lesson. After that, she had to leave it at home, but Takara made me promise I wouldn't let Hoshi-chan get too lonely while she was gone."

The story brought a smile to Rei's face, and she even giggled. "Okaa-sama sounds like me!" she said, delighted. "I wish we could meet Hoshi-chan. Yoshi-san could use some more friends."

"Well, it looks like you're in luck, little missy," Saburo replied, playfully tapping her nose before he stood, looking around the room. "It just so happens I still have Hoshi-chan. She's somewhere around here… Yes, in the toy chest!"

Saburo walked over to the wooden box in the corner of the room and blew some of the dust off the top before opening it. He really should have done a little more housecleaning before Rei arrived. Dust from the movement flew up everywhere, provoking a mild coughing fit, but Saburo quickly recovered and started digging through the sea of old toys for the bear.

Curious, Rei also came over, looking over her grandfather's shoulder at her mother's cherished childhood possessions. Purple eyes, so much like Takara's, widened at the sight of the treasures. "Were these really okaa-sama's?" the little girl asked, reaching for the tattered rag doll on top.

"Yes, Rei-chan, and now they're all yours," Saburo replied. "I know Takara would want you to have them. They're not as fancy as your other store-bought toys, since our family never did have much money to spend on luxuries, but…"

Rei shook her head, her gaze transfixed on the doll in her hand as if it were the most brilliant diamond in the world. "No, they're wonderful," she whispered reverently. "I can really play with them?"

"Of course you can. Toys are meant to be played with and loved," Saburo said with a chuckle as he continued digging. A few seconds later, his hand wrapped around the soft, fuzzy fur he recognized as belonging to Hoshi-chan and pulled the bear out to present to his granddaughter. "Here we go. Rei-chan, meet Hoshi-chan."

"Cute!" The rag doll was forgotten as Rei took her mother's bear in her arms and held it close. Indeed, it was a very cute bear, though it could use a good cleaning. Soft, but dirty, white fur covered its well-made body, and it had a pair of purple button eyes, along with a black nose, on its face. Around its neck, a red ribbon was tied into a large bow, and in the center of its tummy, there was a matching heart-shaped patch. Rei's eyes lit up. "I love her, ojii-san. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Rei-chan," Saburo said as his granddaughter gave him a hug. He never realized until then how much he missed the simple gesture. It felt wonderful to hold a little girl in his arms once again. So many long forgotten memories of Takara's childhood came rushing back, bringing tears to the old man's eyes.

"Why are you so sad?" Rei asked, seeing his watery eyes when she finally pulled away from his embrace.

He shook his head, wiping the sleeve of his robe over his eyes. "Oh, I'm not sad, little one," he said softly. A wrinkled hand reached up to touch her cheek, and he smiled. "These are tears of happiness - happiness because you, my sweet granddaughter, came into my life. I only wish we could have met under happier circumstances. If only…"

His voice trailed off. Saburo had so many regrets, but what was done was done, and no matter how much he wished he could turn back the hands of time, he knew it was impossible. The past was forever set in stone. He could only begin a new future, with Rei.

"If only what?" Rei asked.

"It's nothing," he said, standing from his kneeling position on the floor and closing the toy box. "Now, I do believe it's way past somebody's bedtime."

Pink lips curled into a small pout. "Do I have to go to bed, ojii-san? I want to play with my new toys."

Saburo laughed and gently pushed the little sprite back toward the futon, remembering how much trouble it always was trying to get Takara to go to sleep. Like mother, like daughter, as they say. "You can play with your toys after school tomorrow, Rei-chan. Now, it's time to sleep."

"Okay…" Reluctantly, Rei crawled back into bed and let Saburo tuck her underneath the blanket, both bears keeping her company. After she was settled, he gave Rei a kiss goodnight on the forehead and was about to turn off the lamp when Rei asked him one last question in a soft voice. "Ojii-san, do you miss okaa-sama?"

Saburo nodded. "Hai, very much, little one."

"I miss her too. Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi, Rei-chan."

With those words, Rei yawned and snuggled deeper under the blanket. She was fast asleep within seconds. Smiling at the peaceful sight she made, Saburo turned off the lamp beside the futon and quietly tiptoed to the door. He slid the door open, but before he left, he took one last look at the sleeping angel, surprised at what he saw.

"Oh, my…"

On her forehead, the glowing red sign Mars shone brightly like a torch of fire in a darkened cave. Saburo blinked, believing the light was nothing but an illusion. His mind must be playing games with him because of what he saw earlier in the sacred fire. However, it soon became clear the sign was no trick of the light. He trembled, though strangely enough, he felt no fear. He again whispered the exclamation of disbelief as the light suddenly disappeared, extinguished.

What did it mean?

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The TA Academy for Girls was located only about a few blocks away from the Hikawa shrine, so after finishing breakfast the next morning, her grandfather and Rei decided to walk to the school instead of waiting for the bus. They took their time, neither in much of a hurry to get to the school since homeroom wouldn't begin for another half-hour, and admired the beauty of the springtime along the street.

Well, her grandfather at least was taking in the sights. Rei, dressed in her new school uniform consisting of a short-sleeved white dress shirt and a brown jumper, kept her gaze glued to her brightly polished Mary Janes and her tiny hand wrapped tightly around her grandfather's. Two pigtails, tied with matching red ribbons, blew behind her in the soft, spring breeze.

Noticing her nervousness, the priest gave Rei's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You'll do fine, Rei-chan. Don't worry so much."

Rei nodded, but didn't look up. The rest of the walk passed in silence, and a few minutes later, they arrived at the Academy. It was only then that Rei finally raised her head.

Her first thought when she saw the school was one of intimidation. The Academy's campus, housing first grade through high school, seemed enormous compared to her old elementary school near the manor. The school actually consisted of three large buildings, side by side, plus a small chapel off to the side. The building on the left was the elementary school, holding grades 1-6. The building on the right was the junior high, with the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades, and in the center of those two buildings was the high school. A spacious courtyard, expertly landscaped with flowers of every shape and color, sprawled in front of the three schools, and in the very center of it all was a statue of the Madonna, holding the baby Jesus in her arms. A fence surrounded the entire campus.

"This seems like a nice school," her grandfather said as they passed through the gates.

Rei's grasp on his hand tightened more. "I guess so," she said in a soft voice. "It's big, though."

"I'm sure it won't seem so big once we go inside," the priest assured her, gently leading her toward the building on the left. "Come, Rei-chan. We need to fill out some paper work in the office and get your class assignment."

"Okay, ojii-san."

The main office, located right beside the entrance, was easy to find. While the secretary at the front desk helped Saburo fill out the required forms, Rei took a seat in the plastic yellow chair in the corner to wait. Her legs, not quite long enough to reach the floor, swung back and forth, and she slouched back in the uncomfortable chair until a nun passed by and gave her a look that said her behavior was not appropriate for a student of their fancy school. After that, Rei straightened her posture and crossed her legs at her ankles, trying her best not to move. She didn't even breathe unless it was absolutely necessary.

 _I hate this place_ , Rei thought to herself as the nun finally turned her attention elsewhere. That much she knew already, and she hadn't even been assigned to her classroom. She hated the size, she hated the ugly uniforms, she hated that judgmental nun, and most of all, she hated the fact that the Academy was nothing like her old school.

Looking out the window, Rei sighed. Where were all the kids? Back at her old school, before class began, the courtyard would be alive with the sounds of little girls' high-pitched screams as Takeshi, the class terror, chased them around the jungle gym and boys playing "Cowboys and Indians." Here, however, the courtyard was as quiet as a cemetery at night.

"Rei-chan, it's time to go to class. You're in class 2 of the first grade."

At the sound of her grandfather's voice, Rei looked away from the window and reluctantly slid off the chair. She wished she didn't have to go to class. She wanted to go back to Hikawa, or better yet, back to the manor with her father and Mrs. Yukana so she could attend her old school. Still, she took his hand and let him lead her to the classroom.

Her new teacher's name was Sister Angela. The nun was younger and kinder-looking than the one Rei met in the office, but the little girl sensed she was just as strict, judging by the sight of her angelic students sitting quietly in their desks as the nun greeted them outside the classroom. The two adults exchanged pleasantries, then her grandfather said good-bye, giving Rei's hand one last squeeze before leaving.

After he left, Sister Angela showed the new student inside. Rei felt every single pair of eyes staring at her as she followed the nun to the front of the room, the students wondering who she was. They apparently didn't get many transfers. Some braver students even began to whisper among themselves, though the chatter was soon halted by Sister Angela rapping her ruler on the desk. Everybody sat at attention as their teacher made the introduction. "Class, I would like you to meet our new transfer student, Hino Rei-san," Sister Angela said. "Hino-san, why don't you tell the class a little about yourself?"

Rei really didn't want to speak in front of the class, but the tone in the nun's voice made the request sound more like an order, so she bowed to the students and gave a small speech. "Good morning. My name is Hino Rei. I am an Aries, and my blood type is AB. My father is Hino Keitaro-sama, the governor of the Tokyo metropolitan area…" That piece of information provoked another round of curious chatter, again silenced by Sister Angela's ruler. "…and my mother's name is, I mean, was, Takara-san. She's gone, now. I now live with ojii-san at the Hikawa shrine. He's the priest there."

Sister Angela nodded after Rei finished. "That will do, Hino-san," the nun said, looking around the room for an empty seat. The only desk available was the one in the back of the room, right behind a cute green-haired girl. "Why don't you take the seat behind Tanaka Sayo-san?"

Slowly, Rei walked toward the desk, mindful of the still staring eyes of her classmates. The girl in front of her, Sayo, especially, seemed to be shooting daggers at her from her narrowed eyes. Rei did not know what she had said to make the girl so suspicious of her, but she made a conscious effort not to let it bother her as she took her seat and turned her attention to the teacher.

Back at the front of the room, Sister Angela walked over to her own desk and began rummaging through some papers. A confused look soon came over her face. She opened a couple of the desk drawers, her brow furrowed as she looked through the files. "Class, have you seen the math worksheets I had sitting on my desk?" the nun asked, closing the last drawer. "I've seemed to have misplaced them."

The class remained silent, each of the twenty or so young girls staring straight ahead at the chalkboard with their hands folded neatly on their desk. Only Rei, after realizing nobody had any intention of telling where they had hidden the worksheets - yes, a couple of the "angels" had decided to play a naughty trick on their teacher during her brief absence, as evident by the sly glances shared between Sayo and the girl next to her - raised her hand. With her special gift, she knew exactly where the papers were located.

"Yes, Hino-san?"

Rei rose from her seat to answer. "The papers are in the back, underneath the globe, Sister Angela-sensei."

The nun arched a doubtful eyebrow, but when Sister Angela made her way to the back of the classroom, she did indeed find the worksheets sitting underneath the globe on the bookshelf. "But how…" the teacher murmured to herself, then shook her head before turning back to her students with hard eyes. "Never mind. Who put these here, so I may dispense the proper punishment? I know I certainly did not. Come, confess, and I might show mercy."

Again, silence, even from Rei. Though she suspected Tanaka Sayo and her friend were behind the prank, she had no proof other than a hunch, so therefore she held her tongue. Sister Angela pressed her lips together, then walked back to the front of the class to pass out the worksheets.

"Fine. If no one will confess, I have no choice but to suspend the first recess period," she announced to a round of groans from the girls. "The time instead will be used to study the Ten Commandments, as it appears some of you need a refresher course. Hino-san will, of course, be excused, as she was not yet a member of this class when the crime took place. Now, get to work on these worksheets. You have thirty minutes."

The rest of the morning passed by without incident until lunchtime. Unlike her old school, where the kids ate their lunches in the classroom or sometimes outside, if the weather was nice, the Academy had a real cafeteria. It was one of the few things about the school that managed to impress Rei. She went through the lunch line with the rest of the class, then took a seat at an empty table. Nobody else joined her, not that she expected they would. No one wanted anything to do with her after she innocently caused her classmates to lose their recess.

 _Fine, see if I care_ , Rei thought sadly to herself, playing with the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks. So much for making new friends. She couldn't wait for the day to be over so she could go home to Hikawa and play with her mother's toys. They would be her friends, even if the snobs would not.

She took a few bites of the rice, and then found her attention turned toward a group of girls, including Tanaka Sayo, sitting at a nearby table. Rei didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help overhearing their conversation. They were all speaking in rather loud voices - at least, as loud as they could without drawing unwanted attention from the nuns - and seemed not to care their topic of choice was sitting less than five feet away.

"I can't believe our recess was cancelled," Sayo pouted. "Sister Angela-sensei is being so unfair. All we did was hide her stupid worksheets. What's the big deal? It's not like she never found them."

"I know!" the purple-haired girl who Rei suspected was Sayo's co-conspirator exclaimed. "And what about that new Shinto girl? How did she know where we put the papers? She wasn't even in the room when we hid them."

The third member of the group, a pretty blonde, shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe Hino-san has some kind of special power," she suggested brightly. "Wouldn't that be neat?"

"Neat?" The second girl wrinkled her button nose. "I don't think that's neat at all. It's scary! Who knows what else she can do? I think she's a total freak!"

"I don't know, Mai-chan. I think Hino-san is kind of cool. She is very beautiful and mysterious."

The girl named Mai rolled her eyes. "You would think that, Kotono-chan. You're interested in aliens and psychics and all that weird stuff, aren't you? I wouldn't be surprised at all if Hino-san was a Martian. Being able to find lost stuff like that is weird. She must have alien powers."

"Maybe that's why her father sent her away," Sayo mused, twisting a strand of her green hair absent-mindedly around her finger.

Both girls gave their full attention to the leader of their clique when they heard that, curious. "What do you mean, Sayo-chan?" Kotono asked. "Do you know something we don't?"

"Perhaps…" she drawled. Sayo obviously loved being the center of attention for she was eating it up like a cat lapping a bowl of milk.

"Don't tease us!" Mai said. "I hate it when you do that. Spill! We demand details!"

Sayo smiled mysteriously, pretending to be overly interested the bowl of rice sitting in front of her before she finally relented and told the others what she knew. "Okay, I don't know that much," she admitted. "Ojii-sama came over last night for dinner, and he happened to mention that Governor Hino-sama's daughter would be in my class. He said I should be nice to her because her father was a very important man, but I could tell he didn't really mean it."

"Why not?"

"Well, later, I overheard ojii-sama talking with my parents, and it seems he and Hino-sama are big rivals. He doesn't like the governor very much. They were even talking about sending me to another school!"

"What?" Mai gasped. "You aren't leaving, are you, Sayo-chan? That would be horrible!"

"No, okaa-sama and otou-sama said they wanted me to stay at the Academy, but ojii-sama wasn't very happy about it."

"That's good," Kotono said. "We would be sad if you left."

Mai nodded her head in agreement. "Very sad. But did you find out why Hino-san came here, Sayo-chan? It's weird that she lives at that creepy, old shrine with her grandfather. Why did Hino-sama ship her away?"

"Maybe Hino-sama is too busy to take care of her, Mai-chan. She did say her mother died."

The other girl sighed. "For a space cadet, you don't have much of an imagination, Kotono-chan. There has to be more to it than that, and I bet Sayo-chan knows why."

"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't," Sayo said, again acting coy.

"Sayo-chan…"

"Well, I did hear ojii-sama say something about Hino-sama's daughter, our dear little freak. He said Hino Rei-san always gave him the creeps, and that..." Sayo paused, trying to remember the exact words, otherwise it wouldn't have the same effect. "...it was a good idea for the governor's career to send her away." They all looked nonplussed at this. Sayo didn't seem to have any idea why it would be good either, but that didn't stop her saying confidently, "I don't blame him. Who wants a daughter like that? I wouldn't even let her out of the house. And Hino-sama's in public office, it must be even worse for him."

Hearing that, Rei gasped, and her chopsticks clattered to the table. That was a lie! Her father didn't think she was a freak. He loved her. She knew he did, underneath it all. Her mother had said so…

Tears filled Rei's eyes just as Kotono, alerted by the noise her chopsticks made when they hit the table, turned around in her seat. The blonde who, unlike her two companions, didn't have a view of Rei's table, was surprised to see her sitting so close. Kotono lowered her eyes in shame as she tried to explain. "Hino-san, Sayo-chan didn't mean what she said about your father…" the girl began as Sayo and her other friend started laughing.

Rei's hands clenched into tiny fists as she struggled to control her emotions. She failed to see how they could find her tears so amusing. How could they take so much pleasure in her pain? How could anybody be so cruel?

Ignoring Kotono's attempts to apologize for her friends' behavior, Rei pushed her lunch tray away and ran to the bathroom to cry. She couldn't wait for this horrible day to end.

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The school bus drove by the Hikawa shrine just as Saburo finished his afternoon mediation, bringing a smile to the priest's face. His granddaughter was finally home from her first day of school. He expected to hear excited footsteps at the entrance of the shrine as Rei rushed to tell him about her day at the Academy, but instead, the little girl quietly entered the shrine and called out she was home, not even bothering to pop her head into the prayer room when she passed by on her way to her own room. Saburo frowned, standing from his kneeling position in front of the sacred fire.

Concerned, je headed toward his daughter's old bedroom and knocked on the sliding door. "Rei-chan? May I come in?" he asked when no one answered.

Inside, the girl sniffled. "Yes, ojii-san," she said in a quivering voice. "I guess so."

Saburo slid the door open and found Rei laying on the futon, flat on her stomach and her face buried in her arms. The bows in her hair were undone and her long black tresses disheveled.

"Rei-chan…" Saburo whispered, kneeling down beside the futon. Tiny sobs erupted through Rei's body, and he rubbed his hand down her back in comfort. "What's wrong, little one? Did something bad happen today at school?"

"It was horrible!" she said, her words muffled in her makeshift pillow. "I hate it and I'm never going back! Everybody hates me. They said such mean things, ojii-san."

Saburo sighed. He should have known better than to be so optimistic. Kids could be so cruel sometimes, especially to those they thought were different from themselves. "I'm sorry, sweetie," he apologized. "I know it must have been tough. What did they say?"

Rei shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"It might help," he persisted, stroking her messy hair. "Come on, look up and tell me about what happened. I can't make it better unless I know what they said. Did they tease you about me being Shinto priest and you living in a shrine?"

Rei lifted her head from her arms and looked over at Saburo, her eyes red and her porcelain skin blotchy. She wiped away some of her tears with the collar of her shirt before she shook her head once again. "Some did, but…"

"It was something else."

"Yeah."

Sniffling, Rei finally sat up in the futon and allowed Saburo to wipe away the rest of her tears with his handkerchief. He then took a seat on the futon with her, pulling the little girl on his lap. Rei was a little heavier than he thought she would be - either that, or he was a lot older than he thought he was - but he didn't mind. Saburo wrapped his arms around her and held the little girl tight as Rei told him what happened earlier at school.

"Well, after Sister Angela-sensei introduced me to the class, she couldn't find her math worksheets. Some of the girls decided to hide them while the teacher talked to us outside, but nobody would tell her where they were. I wanted to help, so I used my gift to find them."

"Your gift?" Saburo asked. It was the first he ever heard of it.

Rei nodded. "That's what okaa-sama called it," she explained. "I can find lost things just by concentrating. Sometimes I can sense things, too. Okaa-sama always said it was my special gift."

Saburo smiled. It appeared his granddaughter had inherited a little of Noriko's psychic talents. His late wife also possessed the uncanny ability to find lost items when she was alive, among other things, though they always referred to it as her "sixth sense."

"I see. So, what happened after you used your 'gift' to find the lost worksheets?"

"Sister Angela-sensei asked the class who hid them, and when nobody confessed, she cancelled first recess."

"So everybody blamed you for getting recess cancelled."

"Yeah," Rei said. She rested her head on Saburo's shoulder as another tear began rolling down her cheek. "But that wasn't the worst part. There was th-this group of girls - Tanaka Sayo-san, Kotono-san, and another girl. We were eating lunch in the cafeteria, and I heard th-them talking about me. Th-they said my gift was weird, and I was a freak. And then, th-they said… They said otou-sama sent m-me away because he was ashamed of… Ashamed of…"

Rei didn't have to complete her sentence. By that time, she was crying once again, her tears soaking his robes, and it became painfully clear who the girls said Keitaro was ashamed of. It broke his heart. Saburo kissed the top of her head, rocking her back and forth. "Oh, Rei-chan…" he murmured, not really knowing what else to say.

He had expected some teasing from the predominately Catholic student body about Rei's situation. He tried to prepare her for it at breakfast this morning, but he was afraid nothing he said would have prepared her for what happened at lunchtime. Maybe if he had known about her "sixth sense" earlier, he could have told her to be careful about who she revealed her abilities to, but he doubted the advice would have done much good. Much like how he sensed something was different about Rei the moment she stepped out of her father's limousine, the other girls would have picked up on the strange aura that surrounded her eventually.

There was something unusual about the little girl crying in his arms. Rei wasn't like the other girls. His granddaughter was special, and his feelings had nothing to do with grandfatherly pride. Saburo recalled the night before when he saw the sign of Mars on her forehead, and even before that, when Rei called out Phobos' and Deimos' names despite never having met her mother's avian friends. It was clear to him now. The sacred fire was trying to tell him something about Rei. What it was, he still had no earthly idea, but somehow he knew his granddaughter was destined for something great.

"Ojii-san?" Rei sniffled, wiping her nose on his robes.

Her voice broke Saburo from his thoughts, and the priest gave her a small smile. "Yes, little one?"

"I'm not a freak, am I?" she asked in a small voice barely above a whisper.

Saburo shook his head, situating Rei on his lap so that she was facing him. The little girl kept her gaze lowered until he lifted up her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Rei-chan, listen to me," Saburo said. "You are not a freak, and I never want you to think that of yourself ever again, no matter what other people might say. Those girls were probably just jealous because they saw how special you really are, and it threatened them."

The tiniest of grins tugged at her lips. "I-I'm special?"

"Yes, very special," he said, tapping the end of her nose. "Do you want to know how special?" Rei nodded as Saburo again pulled her into another embrace before beginning his story. It always pained him to talk about his late wife, but in this case, he made an exception. "Well, you see, you aren't the only person in the family who was blessed with the special 'gift,' as you call it. My wife Noriko, your grandmother, also possessed the power to see what was not there. It was one of the things I found most fascinating about her because the gods don't give out such gifts to just anybody. The person who receives them must be a very special person, indeed, so you and Noriko are both very special people."

"Really? Obaa-san had the gift, too? I'm not the only one?"

"Yes, little one." Saburo chuckled at the wide-eyed look on Rei's face when she looked up. The news that someone else besides her had the "gift" seemed to comfort Rei, making her feel a little less unusual. In time, Rei might learn to appreciate her uniqueness, but Saburo knew, especially at her young age, it was also important for her to feel like she fit in.

Still, it was times like these when he wished Noriko was alive. His wife would know how to handle this situation better than him. Saburo reached into his pocket and wrapped his hands around the ruby necklace inside, seeking Noriko's guidance.

"What's that?" Rei asked, noticing the motion. He pulled the necklace out, holding it up so she could see. Rei gasped and reached for the heart-shaped pendent, whispering, "It's pretty."

"It was your mother's," Saburo explained. "Obaa-san and I bought it for her for her birthday right before Noriko passed away. Takara used to wear it everyday because her mother told her it was a little piece of her heart to keep with her when Noriko wasn't around anymore. She left it behind when she ran off to marry your father, though. I guess Takara thought I needed Noriko's heart more than she did."

Rei rubbed the surface of the faceted ruby stone with her thumb, her eyes once again sad. "Why did okaa-sama run away?" she asked. "Did you not like otou-sama, ojii-san?"

He sighed. Such tough questions his inquisitive granddaughter asked! Saburo ran a hand through his graying hair before answering. "Well, it wasn't really a matter of disliking your father, Rei-chan," he began. He chose his words carefully, not wanting to alienate her. "The few times I met him, he seemed very kind and respectful. However, it is true I didn't approve of the marriage. Takara and Hino-sama came from two different worlds, and I didn't think their marriage was appropriate."

Saburo stopped there. He didn't think he needed to tell her about arranged marriage between Takara and Mizuki Hisoka or how he disapproved of Keitaro because of his Catholic religion. The short explanation seemed to satisfy Rei's curiosity. "Oh," she said softly, her attention still mainly focused on the necklace in her hand. She was completely captivated by it.

"Do you like it?" he asked. Rei nodded as he took the necklace from her hand and fumbled with the clasp. Her eyes widened in surprise when Saburo moved to drape it around her neck. "Then you should have it. Hold up your hair."

Rei pulled her messy hair out of the way and let Saburo finish clasping in around her neck, still in shock. Once he was done, she reached for the pendant dangling from the too long chain with a shaking hand. "I can really have it?" she asked in disbelief. "But it's so pretty…"

Saburo smiled, thinking how much Rei looked like Takara just then. "It looks prettier on you," he said, helping her stand back up before he joined her. "Now, how about you help me make dinner?"

"Okay, ojii-san."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hino-sama?"

Back at the Hino manor, Keitaro looked up from his untouched dinner of steak and rice, usually his favorite, to see Mrs. Yukana giving him a concerned look from across the table. From the tone in her voice, he suspected she'd been calling him for some time. He had been rather distracted tonight.

"Yes, Yukana-san?"

The housekeeper frowned, a line of wrinkles appearing on her forehead. "Is something wrong with your dinner? You've barely taken two bites since we sat down. If it is unsatisfactory, I can prepare something else. It's not a problem."

"That won't be necessary," he assured her, taking a bite of his steak to prove it to her. "Dinner is first-rate, as always."

"You're very kind to say so, Hino-sama," Mrs. Yukana replied modestly. "It's nothing much."

"You know I've always enjoyed your cooking. Perhaps you should consider opening a restaurant when you move to Osaka next month."

At the mention of her upcoming move, the housekeeper sat down her silverware and glanced over at one of the two empty chairs around the table. It was the chair where Rei usually sat. Forgetting that her "little princess" no longer lived with them, Mrs. Yukana had accidentally prepared an extra plate. The plate now sat cold and uneaten, a painful reminder of her absence.

"I wonder how Hime-chan is doing over at Hikawa," Mrs. Yukana said softly.

The fork in Keitaro's hand stopped in mid-air. It was the first time either one of them had dared to talk about Rei since she left, breaking an unspoken agreement between them. Mrs. Yukana knew he didn't want to discuss his daughter.

"I'm sure Rei-san's fine," Keitaro replied shortly, taking another bite of his steak. The meat in his mouth had taken on a dry, tasteless quality, causing him to lose whatever appetite he had left. Setting his fork back down on the table, he pushed his plate away and stood, suddenly wanting to be alone. "I'll be in my office, Yukana-san. Take a message if anyone calls for me. I don't want to be disturbed."

The housekeeper nodded and began clearing the table of the dirty dishes. "Yes, Hino-sama."

Keitaro headed to his office down the hall, a feeling of relief coming over him once he entered the darkened room and closed the door behind him. He had been breathing rather heavily when he came in, but his breathing softened as Keitaro leaned against the closed door.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked himself aloud, hitting the back of his head against the wood.

Keitaro hadn't expected to have such a reaction to simply hearing his daughter's name. To be honest, he hadn't really known what to expect, which was one of the reasons why he had been careful not to mention or even think of Rei the entire day. But whatever he had expected to feel, it wasn't this - not this overwhelming guilt.

Why did she have to cry? Why did she have to look at him like that? Why couldn't she had just accepted the situation like the big girl she claimed she was?

No, that wasn't fair to Rei. Keitaro couldn't blame her; it wasn't her fault. Even if she was almost seven, Rei was still very much a little girl. He shouldn't have expected anything less from her. It was silly of him to think otherwise, that she would be perfectly fine with the whole thing. Minoru had told him repeatedly Rei wouldn't take the separation well, yet he'd ignored his friend's claims, figuring it wouldn't be such a big deal. They had never been close, anyway.

Showed how well he knew his own daughter.

Reaching up to loosen the silk tie around his neck, Keitaro drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, counting to ten in his head until he felt himself calm down. He needed to stop doing this to himself. There was no reason to feel guilty about his decision. He sent Rei away for her own good, as well as his. Maybe someday, when she was older, she would understand.

But that thought still didn't make the memory of her tear-streaked face, so much like Takara's, disappear from his mind.

Why couldn't he forget? That's all he wanted to do: forget. To forget the father who never loved him. To forget the uncle who did. To forget the daughter he could never bring himself to love. And to forget the woman he had loved too much.

Forget…

Looking around the office, Keitaro's gray eyes fell on the liquor cabinet sitting in the corner of the small room. It had been his father's, elegantly crafted from rich oak and well-stocked with the finest intoxicants. Sometimes, Keitaro wondered why he never bothered to get rid of the painful reminder of Hino Takeo and his drunken rages when he moved back to the manor. It would probably fetch a pretty penny at an antiques market. For once, however, he was grateful he hadn't done so.

Walking over to the cabinet, Keitaro stooped down and traced the intricate carvings on the door with his finger until his hand unconsciously made its way to the lock. The key to the cabinet was long lost, its secret location forgotten after so many years, but Keitaro had jimmied it open the day of Takara's funeral, so that was not a problem. The door swung open easily, revealing the assortment of bottles hidden inside.

Scotch, brandy, vodka, tequila, sake… He scanned the labels, no real preference in mind. Anything that would help him forget would be fine. However, remembering the terrible taste of the scotch from before, he pushed the bottle aside and finally selected the vodka.

That would do.

Keitaro's hands were shaking as he pulled the bottle out of the cabinet and unsealed the top. Forgoing the use of the crystal glass, he brought the bottle to his parched lips and took a small, hesitant drink. The taste was even worse than the scotch, but making a face, he forced himself to swallow, the liquid burning his throat as it made its way down to his stomach.

"How can people drink this stuff?" Keitaro asked aloud, wishing he had a glass of water to wash away the horrid aftertaste. Still, that didn't stop him from bringing the bottle to his lips once again, seeking the forgetfulness he knew it would provide.

Before Keitaro took another drink, though, his words from yesterday's conversation with Minoru suddenly came back to him, echoing in the back of his mind. _Alcohol wasn't the answer_. He knew that first-hand from witnessing his father's downfall from brilliant attorney to horrible drunk. It didn't solve his problems; it only created new ones. As tempting as it was lose himself in the bottom of the liquor bottle, Keitaro placed the vodka back on its shelf and closed the door, making a mental note to get the lock fixed sometime next week.

"I won't become him," he whispered fervently, his forehead resting against the cool wood of the cabinet. "No matter what, I won't allow myself to become otou-sama."

Standing, Keitaro turned on the small Tiffany lamp sitting on his desk, unplugged his phone from its outlet in the wall to avoid any unwelcome disturbances, and took a seat in his chair. He needed to find some other way to get his mind off what had happened yesterday.

Sleep was out of the question. Despite Rei's absence, the nightmares of his father still continued to haunt him. Keitaro had hoped once she left, they would finally leave him alone and go back to that dark part of his memory where they belonged, but that had not been the case. In fact, last night had been the worst yet. He had barely gotten a wink of sleep, for every time he closed his eyes, Hino Takeo's face had appeared, eyes bloodshot and full of hate.

So, no, he couldn't go to bed. Keitaro doubted he would be able to even if he tried.

That really left him only one choice - his work.

Though some members of his Cabinet suggested he take a personal vacation after Takara's funeral to deal with his grief, he had insisted on returning to the office the very next day. Work was Keitaro's sole salvation. Only when going over budget reports or writing speeches did he find a sense of calmness, a sense of purpose, a sense that he was doing something right. It was rather ironic when one considered the stress he was under due to the upcoming special meeting of the Assembly, but Keitaro welcomed the pressure like masochist welcomed pain. The more work he had to do, the less time he had to think about his sorrows.

Reaching for the briefcase sitting underneath the desk, Keitaro selected a couple of folders and pulled out the speech he had been working on yesterday when Minoru unexpectedly dropped by. It was to be his address to the Assembly, and therefore, one of his top priorities. Upon seeing the number of rejected paragraphs crossed out with his red pen, though, he sighed. Admittedly, it wasn't his best work.

Keitaro was at a lost for why this speech was proving so difficult to write. Writing speeches usually came so naturally to him. That was why he never bothered hiring a speechwriter like many politicians he knew did. But over the last few days, it was as if the muse which usually served him had acted on his colleagues' suggestions and taken its own personal vacation.

The governor attempted to work on the speech for a little while, but after writing five lackluster paragraphs, none of them usable, he crumpled the paper into a small ball and tossed it in the trash can. This wasn't working. He couldn't even write anymore. His one escape had failed him.

"Dammit," Keitaro uncharacteristically swore under his breath. Slipping off his glasses, he massaged his temples. What was wrong with him? This wasn't like him at all. It wasn't like him to be so distracted and unfocused.

Upon hearing a soft knock on the door, he groaned. Didn't he tell Mrs. Yukana he didn't want to be disturbed tonight? Not that it really mattered anymore since he obviously wasn't going to get any real work done…

"Hino-sama?" the elderly housekeeper said, opening the door when he didn't tell her to leave and stepping inside. Mrs. Yukana had stopped calling him her "Keitaro-chan" shortly after Takara's death, finding little of the boy she once adored in the broken man. "You have a phone call."

Keitaro glanced back up, reaching for his glasses. "I told you I wasn't taking calls, Yukana-san," he said, slightly annoyed. "If it's Minoru again, tell him I'm fine, and I'll talk to him later." It was the same message he kept leaving for his best friend, though Keitaro had yet to call him back since the confrontation yesterday.

"It isn't Uchizawa-san, sir."

"Then who?"

"Kondo-sama. He wants to talk to you about Hime-chan's first day of school at the Academy."

The widower sighed and pushed his chair away from his desk. Keitaro didn't really care to speak to his father-in-law at the moment, but it might be important. He followed Mrs. Yukana out of the office to the phone in the living room, where she gave him some privacy to talk.

"Hello," Keitaro said, bringing the receiver to his ear. "How are you, Kondo-sama?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Saburo answered in an equally cool tone. "And you?"

"Fine," he said, deciding to get straight to the subject of his father-in-law's call. "Yukana-san said you wanted to talk about Rei-san's first day at the Academy. How was it?"

"I'm afraid she didn't get the warmest of welcomes. That is why I am calling," the old man said. "Apparently, a group of girls said some rather unkind things about Rei-chan. She came home to Hikawa in tears."

"The first day is always rough, Kondo-sama, but Rei-san is a strong little girl. She'll be fine after a few days."

On the other end, he heard the old priest sigh. "Hino-sama, I don't mean any disrespect, but I don't believe it is in Rei-chan's best interests to continue attending the Academy. She is miserable there. I urge you to reconsider. Juuban Elementary is a perfectly good public school, and I think Rei-chan would like it better there than at the Academy."

"But the Academy has an impeccable reputation as one of the best schools in Tokyo. She will be given a top-notch education that will set her up for life. Rei-san might not appreciate it now, but in time, she will see this is best for her. I'm sorry, but I won't reconsider."

"If that is what you think is best…" From the tone in Saburo's voice, Keitaro could tell his father-in-law didn't agree with his decision, but the priest didn't press the subject any further. "Rei-chan wanted to talk to you before she went to bed. I'll go get her now."

Keitaro took a seat in the nearby armchair while he waited. It wasn't long before his daughter's sweet voice came over the phone. "Hi, otou-sama," Rei said. "It's me."

"Hello, Rei-san," he answered softly. He almost had to force himself to speak. "How are you? I heard you didn't have a good day at school today."

"I'm fine," she replied. "Ojii-san talked to me, and now I feel a little better. He gave me okaa-sama's pretty necklace."

"That was nice of him. Your grandfather is a kind man."

"I still don't want to go back to the Academy, though. The girls there are mean, and the nuns are too bossy. I miss my old school and all my friends. Can I please come back home, otou-sama?"

"Don't you like living at Hikawa with your grandfather?"

"Ojii-san is nice, and the shrine is very pretty, but it's not the same," Rei said. "I miss you and Yukana-san so much. Everything's so different here. I want to come home. Can I? Please? I'll be good this time. I promise!"

Keitaro sighed, her pleas to come home hitting him harder than he would have liked. She was just an innocent little girl. It wasn't her fault every time he looked at her, he thought of Takara. He didn't like putting Rei through so much unhappiness, but he also knew in his heart it would be best for her to stay with her grandfather. It would be best for both of them. He had to keep telling himself that. "I'm sorry, Rei-san, but you have to stay with Kondo-sama. At least for now."

"Oh, I see," Rei said, her voice filled with disappointment. "So, when will I see you again?"

Keitaro paused for a moment to consider the question before finally answering. "Your birthday. It's coming up next week - on the seventeenth, right? I'll take you out to dinner. Does that sound good?"

"I guess so," she replied, not sounding very enthusiastic. "I have to go now. Ojii-san says it's time for bed. Good night, otou-sama. I love you.

"Good night, Rei-san. I'll see you next Wednesday."

Keitaro placed the phone back in its cradle and headed back to the study, his feeling of guilt even worse than before as he remembered something.

The seventeenth was the date of the Assembly meeting.

_I'm so sorry, Rei-san._

It was to be the first of many broken promises.


	9. Flames Of Passion, Part I

Church bells rang across the large campus, announcing the end of another school day. They were soft and clear, like angels singing, and to one extremely bored student, they were the most beautiful sound in the world.

She thought they would never come.

Closing the book she had been pretending to read, twelve-year-old Rei heard the nun dismiss class, reminding the girls to finish reading Chapter 2 for homework over the sound of chairs moving and voices chattering in the usually quiet classroom. From the sounds of things, it looked as if she wasn't the only one ready to leave. It was Friday after all, and they didn't have Saturday classes this week. Everybody was excited about the upcoming weekend.

 _Everyone, that is, except me_ , she thought with a frown.

Sighing, Rei made sure to take down the assignment in her notebook, then she stood and gathered her things, not wasting any time heading to the lockers to switch shoes. The sooner she could leave, the better. Rei had no interest in spending any more time than she absolutely had to at the snotty school.

Needless to say, her opinion of TA Academy for Girls had not improved over the years. Quite the opposite. Rei hated it with a passion. Well, "hate" might be too strong of a word, but certainly she felt a strong dislike toward the school her father forced her to attend. There were far too many stupid rules to follow for her taste, and the other girls didn't interest her at all, though they seemed to find her fascinating enough, judging by the whispers her fellow classmates thought she couldn't hear.

Most of the girls at the Academy fell into one of two groups, as far as she could tell. One group, the silent majority, admired Rei from afar, impressed by her elegant beauty and mysterious aura, The other group, led by none other than her self-proclaimed rival Tanaka Sayo, thought she was a freak. Though smaller in size, they were by far the more vocal of the two. Not a week went by when Sayo's group didn't start some stupid, untrue rumor about her. This week, she was the Antichrist, which Rei found amusing considering Sayo herself wasn't even Catholic. Last week, she was an alien. Next week… who knew? Rei didn't really care any more. She had learned long ago to turn a deaf ear to anything that came out of that girl's mouth. It was better to ignore the rumors rather than to give Sayo the satisfaction of seeing her upset by something so idiotic and immature.

After slipping into her regular flats, Rei headed toward the exit without even a wave goodbye to the other girls. A warm spring breeze hit her as she opened the door, causing her long jet black hair to flap wildly behind her like a cape, and she smiled for the first time that day, glad to be free from the stuffy atmosphere inside.

"It's a little windy today, isn't it?" she remarked to herself with a chuckle, struggling to hold down the brown piece of fabric that passed for a skirt. One would think the uniform for a parochial school would be a little more modest than the one she wore, but it wasn't her place to judge. If that was the image the church wanted to project, then that was perfectly fine by her.

Rei was no longer Catholic, deciding about a year after her father left her at the Hikawa shrine to practice the Shinto religion. She felt more at peace at the shrine than she ever felt in a church, though she still kept up appearances on the rare times she saw her father. He knew about the conversion, of course, and didn't seem to care much either way, but Rei was aware of the fact her father wasn't completely comfortable with her religious beliefs. She now understood why her mother always preferred to pray to the gods in private.

It was yet another reason why she had grown to dislike him.

"Rei-chan!"

Surprised by the sound of her name being called out by a male voice, Rei raised her head and looked around the school's courtyard for the owner. She thought it might be one of the more affectionate priests - there was one in particular who called all the students by their first names - but there were none of the black-garbed men in sight. Shrugging, Rei figured she must have been imagining things and started walking down the steps in front of the school.

"Rei-chan! Over here, by the gates!"

Rei paused when she heard the voice again, her eyes squinting against the brightness of the afternoon sun as she looked toward the black iron gates. There was something familiar about that voice…

Her heart literally skipped a beat when she saw her mystery caller. He was in his mid-twenties, with light brown hair and kind green eyes behind a pair of gold wire-rimmed glasses. The man wore an expensive-looking business suit, which somehow managed to look casual and professional at the same time, and held a small briefcase in his left hand. His other hand was raised in a friendly wave.

Rei's face immediately brightened upon recognition of the man - Kaidou Ace, her father's top assistant. She wondered what he was doing at the Academy. Ignoring the disapproving glare of a nearby nun, she jumped over the last two steps on her way down and made her way over to the gate, her walk a little more livelier than usual.

"Kaidou-san!" she exclaimed once she exited through the gates. Rei resisted the urge to give the man she once considered her honorary big brother a hug, and instead bowed politely. "Good afternoon!"

Kaidou greeted her with a smile and a bow of his own. "Hello, Rei-chan. It's been a while."

"Yes, it has. I haven't seen you since last Christmas."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I've been rather busy as of late."

Rei was quick to shake her head. "N-No need to apologize. I understand. You're busy with your work. So, what are you doing here?"

"To walk you home, of course," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Noticing the notebook and the rather thick ancient history book nestled in the crook of her arm, Kaidou held out his hand. "Here, let me take those. They look heavy."

"Kaidou-san, that's really not necessary…" Rei objected, a little embarrassed by his kindness. Usually only a girl's boyfriend offered to carry her books. She protectively hugged her books close to her chest, her eyes finding their way to a large crack in the sidewalk.

He ignored her protestations, taking her things anyway and tucking them underneath the arm holding his briefcase. "It's nothing."

"Thank you," she said softly, having no choice but to thank him, but after getting over her mild embarrassment, Rei raised her head back up and gave him a suspicious look. "But why are you really here?" she asked again. "I know you didn't come all the way here just to carry a perfectly able Catholic schoolgirl's books home."

Kaidou laughed heartily. "Nothing gets past you, does it, Rei-chan?" he said. "Actually, I was in the neighborhood on business for Hino-sama, and since I finished early, I thought I would drop by."

"Oh."

Her voice was surprisingly soft. Rei wasn't sure why, but she was disappointed when she heard that. A part of her, a very small part, had been hoping Kaidou actually decided to come see her on his own accord. The whole idea was silly, though, and she berated herself for even thinking of something like that. Why would Kaidou ever do such a thing?

The handsome man tilted his head, looking at Rei with concern in his eyes. "That's okay, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's fine," she stuttered. Rei took a step forward ahead of Kaidou, not wanting him to see her disappointment. "Let's go. I promised ojii-san I would help him with the chores today."

"Okay," Kaidou readily agreed, following Rei. He didn't seem to notice her abrupt change in moods.

They were barely five feet away from the school, though, when a small group of girls passed through the gates, their high-pitched giggles like nails against chalkboard to Rei's ears. Without turning around, the she was able to identify them by laugh alone.

"Well, lookie, lookie here…" their leader sneered. "If it isn't the Antichrist herself."

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Rei stopped in her tracks and crossed her arms across her chest. She didn't even bother turning around to face her frequent tormentor, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. Beside her, Kaidou stopped as well, a confused look on his face.

"What do you want, Tanaka-san?" Rei asked.

Tanaka Sayo, known to most of their classmates as the queen of the seventh grade, made a slight snorting noise, still managing to sound elegant despite the decidedly inelegant sound. "Using your weird powers again to play psychic, Hino?"

"No, actually. A person would have to be deaf not to hear you coming."

Sayo giggled again, that annoying squeal that made Rei want to strangle the girl every time she heard it. "You're a regular comedienne, freak."

"Do you want something?" Rei asked again, finally pivoting on her heel to face the group of about four or five girls. The rest consisted of Sayo's usual assortment of admirers, including the purple-haired girl Rei remembered from her first day of the Academy. Missing, though, was the blonde who had tried to defend her. Kotono now hung out with the members of the Supernatural Club, a group held in considerably higher esteem by Rei even if she did think they were crazy. At least they didn't seem to care about her so-called "gifts." "I have better things to do than to listen your squeals, you know. I'm surprised you're even talking to me. Aren't you afraid I'm going to burn you to a pile of ashes or whatever it is you say I'm supposed to do?"

Her rival haughtily flipped her long, green tresses over her shoulder. "Don't be silly, Hino. You are no more the Devil than I am."

Rei might not have been the devil, but at that moment, she wouldn't have minded in the least if the gates of Hell opened in the sidewalk below Sayo and swallowed her whole. "Are you so sure of that?" Rei drawled, eyes narrowed. She took almost a perverse pleasure in playing into Sayo's lies. If the whole school thought she was the devil, or the Antichrist, or an alien, why not act the part?

Beside her, she felt a light touch on her arm. "Rei-chan, why don't we leave?" Kaidou suggested. "Didn't you say you had chores to do at the shrine?"

Hearing him, Sayo suddenly turned her attention away from Rei to the man beside her, her blue eyes checking Kaidou out like a piece of prime meat. Rei almost expected the boy-crazy girl to lick her lips in hunger.

"Well, well, well… Who do we have here?" Sayo asked. Her usual helium voice deepened in a pathetic attempt to sound older than her thirteen years. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Hino-san?"

 _Now she decides to be polite…_ Rei fought the urge to roll her eyes at her rival's ridiculous behavior. Girls acted so strangely whenever there was a handsome man nearby. It made her positively sick to her stomach. "I wasn't planning on it, Tanaka-san."

"That isn't very proper of you. You should introduce your boyfriend to your friends."

 _B-Boyfriend?_ Despite herself, Rei felt her cheeks redden, and though she didn't bother to look over, she was almost positive Kaidou was doing the same. As if…

"For your information, Kaidou-san is not my boyfriend," Rei declared, hands on her hips. "And you are most definitely not my friend."

Sayo smirked. "Oh, that's right. I forgot, you don't like men, do you, man-hater Hino?"

"Shut up, Tanaka-san."

Sensing a possible catfight about to begin, Kaidou once again reached for Rei's arm, this time turning her back in the direction of the shrine. "Rei-chan, let's go," Kaidou ordered. "She isn't worth it."

"B-But…"

Before Rei could finish, he gave her a pointed look, very much like a caring older brother chastising his younger sister for doing something stupid. "Rei-chan."

The tone in his voice was all Rei needed to hear to make her forget any thoughts of yanking Sayo's silky green hair out by the roots - not that she didn't deserve it, of course. If Kaidou hadn't been there… Well, she still probably wouldn't have acted on her impulses, but only because Rei liked to think she was classier than that. But the fact remained that he was there, and she had disappointed him. Rei could hear it in his voice, so low and cold as he said her name.

Shameful of the way she acted, Rei silently followed Kaidou's lead as he began walking in the direction of the shrine. She could still hear Sayo and her cronies laughing, their high-pitched giggles ringing in her ears, all the way down the street, and even though she knew that it was silly to be upset by them, Rei's temper burned at the sound, itching to show them exactly why they shouldn't mess with her. How she hated those cursed laughs!

Why did they have to make her life so miserable? What had she ever done to them?

It wasn't until the two of them turned at the intersection, the giggles finally out of earshot, that either of them spoke again. Kaidou began first, beating Rei to the punch. Expecting to hear a lecture, she lowered her eyes and resigned herself to whatever words he wanted to say to her concerning her behavior with Sayo. She probably deserved them anyway.

Oddly enough, the lecture never came. "Rei-chan, are you okay?" Kaidou asked instead, his voice so soft and gentle that she glanced up in surprise. That wasn't what he was supposed to say.

"Y-Yeah," she stuttered. "I'm used to it. Those girls always like to spread rumors and make fun of me. Usually I don't let them get to me, though… I'm sorry for the way I acted. I could have handled that better."

"This has been an ongoing thing? Who was she, that girl? She certainly is an unpleasant person."

"Tanaka Sayo-san, otherwise known as the thorn in my side," Rei answered bitterly, kicking a nearby rock with the toe of her shoe. She imagined it was Sayo's fat head and took great pleasure in watching it roll down the sidewalk.

"Tanaka-san…?" Kaidou repeated the name, his brow furrowed in thought. "Doesn't Tanaka Yoshiyuki-san have a granddaughter named Sayo-san? The name sounds familiar, and I think I might have seen her before."

Rei sighed. "Yes, unfortunately, they are one in the same. Tanaka-san has hated me ever since she learned my father was Hino Keitaro-sama. Something about an old rivalry between otou-sama and her grandfather, I think." She waved her hand in disinterest. Politics had never been her cup of tea. "I never bothered to learn why. She hates me, I dislike her - that's all I need to know."

Kaidou nodded. "Oh, yes, I vaguely remember hearing about that from my grandfather. The rivalry between Hino-sama and Tanaka-san during the '78 gubernatorial election is legendary. Even after all these years, the old man is still bitter he lost the governor's seat."

"Well, I think the whole thing is silly. Tanaka-san didn't even bother to get to know me before she decided I was to be her life-long rival. Not that it would have made much of a difference. I have a feeling we wouldn't have become the best of friends anyway, even if we had met under different circumstances."

"No, Tanaka-san doesn't seem like the friendliest person, a trait she obviously inherited from her grandfather," Kaidou said with a chuckle. Even Rei had to smile at that, remembering the one time she had the displeasure of meeting Tanaka Yoshiyuki at a political fundraiser. Her smile disappeared, though, when Kaidou asked his next question. "So, what did Tanaka-san mean when she called you a 'man-hater'?"

Rei frowned, kicking another rock and watching it roll into a nearby bush. She had been hoping he would forget about that. "Nothing," she answered. "I just learned long ago that men are unreliable."

"I see. I feel as if I should defend my sex, but, truthfully…" Kaidou laughed again, rubbing the back of neck in embarrassment. "I can't really think of anything to say. Surely all men are not as horrible as you think, though."

Rei shrugged her shoulders. "Well, maybe not all of them. Not ojii-san, Uchizawa-san, or you…"

For the second time that day, she felt her cheeks warm, and Rei quickly turned away, pretending her attention had been caught by a sakura tree in bloom. Why did she say that? If she didn't know better, Rei would think she was flirting with him, but that was impossible. She'd known him ever since she was a little girl; they were like siblings. Why should she feel any kind of attraction to him? Rei squashed down the voice which tried to answer the question and held her head up high. She was getting as bad as Sayo and her groupies.

Luckily, Kaidou seemed unaware of her inner turmoil, for which she offered a silent prayer to the gods. "I'm flattered! Although, I don't know if I'm worthy of such a compliment. If you consider me to be among the best of men, I think we're in big trouble," he said. "I notice Hino-sama isn't on your list, though."

At the mention of her father's name, Rei forgot about her humiliation and sighed heavily. She knew this conversation would somehow turn to her father. That was why she hadn't want to talk about it. "Kaidou-san, you know I'm not fond of my father anymore," she said softly. "Otou-sama has disappointed me too many times over the years. Do you realize it has been six years since I moved in with ojii-san at Hikawa and he still hasn't invited me back home to the manor? I gave up hope a long time ago. Otou-sama doesn't want me back, and quite frankly, I doubt I would go back now even if he did ask."

"I don't think you should be so rough on him, Rei-chan. I'm sure your father loves you," Kaidou replied.

As always, he was prepared to defend his boss from any unkind word. He was a contradiction in that way, understanding how she felt about her father, yet still admiring Keitaro to the point of idol-worship. Even their gold wire-rimmed glasses, which Kaidou slid back up his nose in a move eerily similar to her father, appeared to be almost exact replicas. Rei never could understand why Kaidou regarded her father so highly.

"Does he ever talk about me at the office?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, not exactly…"

"See?"

"Hino-sama is a very busy man, Rei-chan," Kaidou said as if that explained everything. "He's done many great things for this city. You should be proud of him."

"I'm well aware of otou-sama's accomplishments. Too bad being a father wasn't one of them." Bitterness coated Rei's voice as she kicked yet another rock, this time imagining it was her father's head instead of Sayo's. The pebble only traveled a few inches, not even a foot, before plunking in a small puddle of water left behind from yesterday's spring shower.

"Maybe Hino-sama's doing you a favor by letting you stay with your grandfather at Hikawa."

Hearing that, Rei arched an eyebrow. That was a new twist. "How do you come to that conclusion?"

Kaidou shrugged, his free hand finding its way to his pocket. "Well, I know what it's like growing up in a political family. Believe me, it's no picnic in the park. Everybody expects you to act a certain way, follow a certain path, attend a certain school, be friends with certain people…" He shook his head in mild disgust. "You can't really be yourself, you know? It's all about the image, the illusion. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I've wished I wasn't former governor Negishi Shinji-sama's grandson or Minister Kaidou Taro-sama's son."

"I don't understand, Kaidou-san," Rei said. "If you feel that way, then why are you following in your father's and grandfather's footsteps?"

"Mostly because it's expected of me," he answered. "And it's not as if I dislike politics. Politics is in my blood, and I can't run away from that. Nor is that what I want. I admire people like Hino-sama because he really has made a difference in people's lives. I think it's wonderful what he does. It's the silly political games we're expected to play I hate. It saddens me that most elections these days are determined by how much money a candidate raises, rather than the things that really matter - issues, values, capability, honesty, integrity."

"I see. You sound a little like otou-sama just now. I remember when I was younger he used to talk like that…"

"Is that a bad thing, Rei-chan?"

"No, I suppose not," she said, noticing that they had both unconsciously started walking up the stone staircase leading to the torii during their conversation. Rei could already see the simple beauty of the shrine peeking over the horizon. "Look, there's the shrine."

"We're already here? It seems as if we just started talking."

"I know," Rei said, a little disappointed. "Would you like to stay for some tea?"

"Sorry, Rei-chan," he apologized, looking down at his watch. "I would love to, but I can't. I need to head back to the office for a meeting with your father. Can I take a rain check?"

"Sure. Thank you for walking me home."

"You're welcome. It was my pleasure," Kaidou said, handing Rei back the text and notebook she forgot he had been carrying. "Here."

"Thanks. I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Bye."

Kaidou was walking back down the steps when Rei suddenly remembered something. "Oh, will you be accompanying my father to my birthday dinner this weekend as usual?" she called out.

Stopping midway down the staircase, he turned back around and grinned. "Yes, I will. He invited me this morning."

"I'll be looking forward to it. Goodbye, Kaidou-san."

"Goodbye, Rei-chan."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saburo had just slid open the door on his way out to feed the crows when he noticed his pretty granddaughter talking to a young man he recognized as Kaidou Ace underneath the torii of the shrine. They looked deep in conversation, and an enjoyable conversation at that from the way Rei's eyes were sparkling. Leaning against the frame of the door, the old priest smiled at the sight.

It wasn't often Rei had visitors, other than the regular monthly visits by her godfather. His granddaughter was a lonely sort of person. No real friends, unlike her mother at her age. Takara had always been popular at her school, and classmates used to frequently come by the shrine to visit her. Saburo remembered joking her multitude of friends and admirers was the only reason why the Hikawa shrine was still in business. As for Rei, however, the only friend he recalled meeting was some pudgy brunette, and that was only because they were working on a project for school together. After the project was finished, he never saw the girl, nor any of Rei's other classmates, again.

Noticing the two had finished saying their goodbyes, Saburo stepped back inside the house and slid the door close behind him. Knowing his granddaughter, she would not be pleased if she discovered he had been watching her and Kaidou. Rei was a rather private person.

Seconds later, he heard quiet footsteps coming up the porch, and the door was slid open, the pretty young girl stepping inside. "I'm home!" Rei called out, momentarily startled when she saw her grandfather already standing by the door. "Oh, hi, ojii-san."

Saburo welcomed her with a smile. "Welcome home, Rei-chan. How was school?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she took off her flats and slipped her feet into a pair of red slippers sitting by the door. "Same as always. Dull and boring."

"Was that Kaidou-san I saw you with in front of the shrine?" he asked innocently. Saburo didn't normally pry into his granddaughter's life, but he had to admit he was curious why Kaidou had brought her home. His curiosity was only heightened by the faintly flushed look on Rei's face.

Amethyst eyes rolled in exasperation. "Ojii-san, were you spying on me?"

"Not intentionally," he assured her, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I just happened to be on my way out to feed the crows and saw you two together."

Letting out a sigh, Rei pushed a strand of her raven hair back behind her ear. "Yes, Kaidou-san walked me home from school," she answered. "He was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by."

"Why didn't you invite him in for some tea? It's been a while since he's visited."

A tiny frown crossed her pale pink lips. "I did, but unfortunately, he needed to get back to the office for a meeting with otou-sama."

"Oh, I see…" Saburo nodded knowingly. He might have been an old man, but he still recognized the look on her granddaughter's face. "You sound disappointed."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she shot back, only serving to confirm his suspicions.

"Nothing. It's only an observation."

Rei turned around to face him, her arms folded across her chest after setting down her things. "Ojii-san…"

"What?"

"I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong."

"What am I thinking, Rei-chan?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"You think I have a crush on Kaidou-san."

Saburo chuckled. "Well, is that so unbelievable? It's perfectly natural for a girl your age to start having those kinds of feelings toward boys. Nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Of course it's nothing to be embarrassed about because I don't have those kinds of feelings for Kaidou-san. He's my friend, nothing more."

"Then why are you blushing so furiously?"

"I'm going to go change and begin my chores."

Heading to her bedroom, Rei threw her hands in the air in frustration, and Saburo couldn't hold back his laughter. Ah, first love… Was there anything more special in a young girl's life?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Katsuki-kun, I want you to call Terada-san's office and set up an appointment for Monday. Around noon, if possible. Tell him I want to talk about the proposal he sent me last week."

"Yes, Hino-sama."

"And I want to take a look at those polling samples concerning the new legislation as soon as they are available."

"Yes, Hino-sama." Miss Katsuki nodded, her pen scribbling down a note on the legal pad she held in her left arm. "Anything else?"

Taking a seat back in the luxurious leather chair behind his equally expensive-looking desk, Keitaro leaned back, trying to remember if he had left anything out. "Has the press conference been announced yet?" he asked.

Pages flipped as the secretary looked back at her notes. "About an hour ago. Everything has been arranged, and Sasaki-san is taking care of the press packets."

"Time?"

"Seven o'clock tomorrow evening."

"Seven?" Keitaro repeated, his normally expressionless eyes widening a bit behind his glasses. The motion was so insignificant, Miss Katsuki didn't seem to notice. "Why so late? I thought I said I wanted to hold the press conference in the early afternoon."

"Your schedule didn't allow for it, Hino-sama. Remember, you have that important meeting…"

"…with the prime minister," he said, completing the secretary's sentence. Keitaro took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead. "I forgot. It must have slipped my mind."

"Would you like me to reschedule the press conference, Hino-sama? We can move it to Monday if you would prefer. I'll have publicity contact the media with the change."

After a short pause, Keitaro shook his head. "No, it's fine. I did have some plans for tomorrow night, but I can cancel. It's not a problem. Besides, I want to make this announcement as soon as possible."

"Yes, Hino-sama. Will that be all?"

Keitaro waved the dowdy brunette away, dismissing her from the office. "Yes, that will be all for now, Katsuki-kun. Thank you."

With a polite bow, Miss Katsuki turned around and walked out the door, the heavily fragrant scent of her musky perfume lingering in the air behind her.

Once she was gone, Keitaro reached for his day planner and turned to tomorrow's date. April 17th was printed across the top of the page in block English letters, gilded in gold. Underneath the heading, there was a list of his appointments written in his neat and careful kanji. The aforementioned meeting with the prime minister sat at the top of the list. It had been planned months ago, so it was the first thing written down. However, that was not the thing that caught his attention. Beneath it was a notation of his daughter's thirteenth birthday and a reminder of her annual celebratory dinner at _The Rain Tree_ restaurant.

Rei's birthday dinner had become a tradition between them, though it was cancelled more times than it held, thanks to his hectic schedule. In six years, Keitaro only managed to attend two of the dinners - Rei's eighth and twelfth birthdays. The rest, he either ended up cancelling or sending Minoru or his assistant Kaidou in his place. It looked like this year would be the same.

"Forgive me, Rei-san."

Grabbing a pencil from his top drawer, he erased the dinner plans and replaced it with the information about the upcoming press conference. He felt a small twinge of guilt doing so, as he did every time, but the feeling had become so dull over the years, Keitaro barely acknowledged it. His daughter would understand. She probably expected it anyway.

After that was done, Keitaro closed his appointment book and set it aside, getting back to work on some paperwork Miss Katsuki had brought him to fill out.

A loud buzzing noise interrupted his concentration a few minutes later. "Hino-sama, Negishi-san is here," his secretary said, her voice cackling over the intercom as Keitaro pushed the button. "He doesn't have an appointment, but he insists on seeing you."

His eyebrow arched in surprise when he heard the announcement. While Negishi Shinji was once a frequent visitor to the office, his visits had become sporadic over the last few years. The former governor was not in the best of health and, therefore, rarely left his house any more unless it was something important.

"That's fine, Katsuki-kun. Send him in," Keitaro said, curious as to the old man's business there.

Keitaro stood as the door opened, and Miss Katsuki ushered the elderly former governor inside. It had been a few months since he last saw his mentor, so he was understandably shocked by Negishi's fragile appearance, much different from the jolly Santa Claus he once knew. Negishi had lost quite a bit of weight, and his once thick mane of silver hair had thinned so much, Keitaro could easily see the pink skin of his scalp. A pirate's patch covered one eye to conceal his blindness, and he held an elegant, gold-tipped walking cane in his hand.

"Good afternoon, Negishi-sama," Keitaro greeted him.

He stepped forward to help, but Negishi raised up his hand in front of him, politely refusing Keitaro's assistance as he shakily made his way inside. "Good afternoon, Keitaro-san."

"Please have a seat," Keitaro said, motioning toward the leather chair in front of his desk. "Can I have Katsuki-kun bring you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

Negishi shook his head and slowly lowered himself into the offered seat, leaning his cane against the side of the chair. "No, thank you. I don't intend to stay long. I know you are probably busy preparing for the press conference that was announced. I don't want to be a bother."

"It's not a bother, although you know you didn't need to come all this way to see me, Negishi-sama," Keitaro said, taking his own seat back behind the desk. "I could have met you at the house, or Kaidou-kun could have given me a message -"

"No, no, I don't want Ace-kun to know about this," he said. "Besides, I just came from my doctor's office a few blocks down. I figured I would kill two birds with one stone."

"I see." Keitaro pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and folded his hands on the desk, giving Negishi his full attention. "What do you want to talk about? Something about Kaidou-kun?"

"Yes, actually. How has my grandson been doing?"

"Fine. He's really coming along. In fact, I have a meeting with Kaidou-kun later this afternoon to discuss his future possibilities in politics. Although it won't be official until tomorrow, I do plan to announce my intentions to run for a Diet seat in the 1994 elections at the press conference, and I would like to start grooming Kaidou-kun to be my successor."

"Good, good," Negishi said, coughing loudly into his hand. The sound of phlegm being forced from throat to mouth was unpleasant, and Keitaro jumped up to pour him a glass of water, ignoring his mentor's claims he was fine.

"Here, drink this, Negishi-sama," he said, physically putting the paper cup in Negishi's wrinkled hands. The elderly man whispered his thanks before taking a sip of the cool liquid. "Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Yes… Well, no." Negishi pursed his thin lips together, setting the now empty cup down on the desk before he continued. "To be honest with you, Keitaro-san, I came to ask you to do me a favor."

After pouring him another drink of water, just in case, Keitaro sat back down. "A favor?" he repeated, reaching for the mug of forgotten coffee sitting to the side. "Of course. You know I would be happy to help in anyway I can. What is it?"

"I need you to find Ace-kun a wife."

Hearing that, Keitaro almost choked on his coffee. "A wife? That's certainly…unexpected."

"It's time for Ace-kun to settle down if he ever plans to become serious about pursuing a career in politics, Keitaro-san. His parents and I allowed him to sow his wild oats during college, but I'm afraid that period of his life needs to come to an end - the sooner, the better," Negishi explained.

Frowning, Keitaro leaned back in his chair. It was the first time he had heard of this. Kaidou Ace always struck him as being a rather well-behaved person, much like himself. It was hard to imagine the idealistic young man in a role more suited to people like Minoru. "I wasn't aware Kaidou-kun was a party boy. He doesn't seem the type."

"He's not, at least not that I'm aware of. Oh, I'm sure Ace-kun's had a few girlfriends, maybe gone to a keg party or two…" Pausing for a second, Negishi chuckled, probably remembering his own wild college years. From some of the stories he told Keitaro about his time at Tokyo University, he had been quite the big man on campus. "But that's irrelevant. The problem with my grandson is he's unfocused, a trait I'm afraid he must have inherited from my daughter. Ace-kun has potential, but as I'm sure you've noticed, he doesn't always live up to it."

"And you think marriage will solve that problem?" Keitaro asked doubtfully.

"Well, it's a start in the right direction, at least. He needs to begin thinking about the future. A wife will force him to do so." Another coughing spell came over the former governor, and he took a drink of the water before continuing. "I also won't deny I have somewhat selfish motives in wanting Ace-kun to start a family. My days are numbered, Keitaro-san."

"Negishi-sama, don't say -"

Signaling him to stop, Negishi raised a hand. "Don't bother trying to deny it, kid. Quite frankly, I'm surprised I've lasted this long. It's only by the grace of the kami, or Buddha, or your God - whoever it is that controls such things - that I'm still alive. I'm living on borrowed time here. My doctor says I have about a year left, maybe two if I stick to this ridiculous low-fat, low-sodium, no taste diet he prescribed. That isn't a lot of time, and I would like to see at least one of my great-grandchildren born before I die. I missed out on so much of my daughter's and grandchildren's early lives…"

A look Keitaro never remembered seeing before came over the older man's face. It could only be described as regret, and it was more than slightly surprising. Negishi never had been much of a family man while in office. In fact, he had been known to say jovially, "Thank goodness I'm out of it!" when putting down the telephone after a call informed him that his daughter or grandchildren were ill. Politics had always come first with him, and his career had blossomed as a result. The fact he showed regret now was, well… It made Keitaro feel cold inside.

"I can't say I pictured you as much of a diaper-changer, sir," Keitaro said quietly.

"Me either, and don't think I'm about to become one. That's what the womenfolk are for," he replied, still very much a traditionalist in that regard. "Facing your own mortality, though… I suppose I'm starting to realize how much I missed in pursuit of my career. You have to sacrifice a hell of a lot to succeed in this business."

"I can understand your reasoning, Negishi-sama, but what I don't understand is why you want me to be the one to find Kaidou-san a suitable wife. I'm not match-maker material."

"You'll do fine," Negishi assured him. "Besides, Ruri-san and I have both already tried to set him up with little success. I figure since Ace-kun respects and admires you so highly, he will be more open to your opinion on the matter."

Keitaro was still a little reluctant. "I don't know…"

"Who do you know who has an unattached daughter of suitable age?" the elderly man asked him.

Tapping his fingers against the surface of his desk, Keitaro thought over the question. "Well, there's Nozumo-sama's daughter," he said slowly, remembering meeting the attractive blonde a few months ago at a fundraiser for the Liberal Democratic Party. They had been seated at the same table together, and he had found her to be rather charming, if a little air-headed. "I think she recently graduated from university, and as far as I know, she isn't dating anyone at the moment, but you know I rarely read the society pages."

"Perfect!" Keitaro jumped as the former governor clapped his hands together, pleased with his suggestion. "The daughter of the head of the LDP - good choice. Nozumo Yuri-san is supposedly one of the most beautiful socialites in Tokyo. She and Ace-kun will make a great match. Call Nozumo-sama and set up a meeting."

"Negishi-sama, I didn't agree to this crazy little scheme of yours yet," Keitaro reminded him. "As a rule, I don't like to get involved with the personal lives of my acquaintances, and especially not in the matters of love."

Negishi chuckled. "Who said anything about love? Of course, if Nozumo-san and Ace-kun do happen to fall in love, that would be great for them, but as I told you many times before, love is not important in the world of politics."

How many times had he heard that? Keitaro sighed, knowing he was defeated. "You're right. I'll call Nozumo-sama tomorrow. I'm not making any promises, though."

"Thank you, Keitaro-san."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kaidou Ace impatiently waited for the elevator doors to open, looking down at his watch for what seemed like the thousandth time since he stepped inside. 3:51. Why couldn't the stupid elevator move any faster? His meeting with Governor Hino was scheduled to begin in little less than ten minutes. The last thing he needed was to make a bad impression by being late, especially when he was meeting with a man who had probably never been tardy a day in his life.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on…" he chanted, watching the numbers glow red above the door as the elevator slowly made its way up the towering skyscraper. "Dammit, get to the twentieth floor already!"

The last part was said in a rather loud voice, traveling so that everyone inside could hear. Squished up beside him, one of the office ladies rolled her eyes at his obvious impatience, and there were some chuckles in the back, but Kaidou chose to ignore them. He didn't have time to worry about what kind of fool he might be making himself out to be inside the crowded elevator. He needed to get to that meeting!

It probably had not been an intelligent decision on his part to make a detour to the TA Academy for Girls on the way back to the office, he realized. Kaidou hadn't expected his short visit with Rei to last so long. It probably wouldn't have, either, if they hadn't run into Tanaka Sayo and her groupies outside the school. They had wasted valuable time talking to that rude girl.

Thinking about what happened earlier, Kaidou frowned. He hadn't liked what he heard. Did those girls really treat Rei so terribly? He always knew Rei didn't like attending the Academy, but she never told him about the teasing or the rumors she had to suffer through every day. Even though she tried to pretend she didn't care, he knew it must be difficult for her.

"Poor Rei-chan…" he murmured.

Kaidou liked to think of himself as the raven-haired girl's protector, the knight in shining armor he always had to play whenever Rei conned him into playing dress-up with her when she was a little girl. (Not that he would ever admit to the fact he used to play dress-up when he was a teenager… He did it to make Rei happy, that's all.) Unfortunately, as she grew older, he had apparently grown lax in his duties. Her move to the shrine almost immediately after Takara's death had, of course, put some distance between them, and his studies at the university and subsequent internship at the governor's office had hardly left him much time to visit the lonely little girl. However, he had allowed himself to be fooled by her assurances that she was "fine," and that school was "okay." The more he thought about it, the more angry Kaidou became with himself. Why hadn't he visited more often? Why had he taken her word for granted? Why -?

"Yo, Kaidou-kun, are you ever going to get off or not?" a man he recognized as one of his co-workers asked with an amused grin, keeping the elevator door from sliding close. "Twentieth floor. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?"

Breaking from his thoughts about Rei, Kaidou slowly looked up at numbers above the elevator. Sure enough, the "20" was highlighted in bright red. Behind him, he could only imagine the smirks on the other people's faces after he made such a fuss earlier.

"Oh, yeah, right…" Kaidou said sheepishly, stepping off the elevator and into the main lobby with the other assistant. The elevator doors slid close behind him. "Thanks, Sasaki-kun. I must have drifted off there for a moment."

"No problem. Happens to the best of us," Sasaki assured him. Since they were heading in the same direction, the two men fell side-by-side. "Big meeting today, Kaidou-kun?"

"You could say that." Unconsciously, Kaidou began fiddling with his tie, a habit he fell back on whenever he was nervous. "Hino-sama wants to see me."

Nodding, Sasaki shifted the file folder he was holding in his hand to underneath his arm. "He probably wants to talk to you about tomorrow's press conference."

"Press conference?" Kaidou slowed his pace down the hall, surprised by what Sasaki had said. That was news to him. When had the governor decided to call a press conference?

Sasaki raised an eyebrow. "What? You mean you haven't heard?"

"No, I've been out most of the day on business."

"Well, you've certainly missed a lot. I thought for sure you would be one of the first to know about Hino-sama's decision."

"What decision, Sasaki-kun? Just spill it already."

Shifting his eyes around the vicinity, the assistant lifted his folder in front of his face and motioned Kaidou to lean forward. Green eyes rolled at his pathetic attempt at secrecy, but Kaidou obliged nevertheless, curious despite himself.

"It just so happens that I was put in charge of the packets for the press conference," Sasaki whispered like a gossipy schoolgirl. "I know what the big announcement is, but you can't breathe a word of this to anybody, okay?"

Kaidou nodded his agreement, not really caring either way. "Yeah, yeah, just get on with it already. I'm going to be late for my meeting if you don't hurry up."

"Okay, okay. It isn't official yet, but it appears that Governor Hino-sama has decided not to run for re-election once his term ends, and plans to run for a seat in the Diet instead."

"A Diet seat?" Kaidou repeated.

His voice must have been louder than he meant it to be for Sasaki promptly slapped his folder over Kaidou's mouth. "Come on, are you trying to get me fired here?"

"Sorry, Sasaki-kun." Pulling the file folder away from his face, Kaidou remembered to keep his voice lowered as he continued. "Hino-sama is running for a Diet seat during the next elections?"

Sasaki flipped through the papers in his folder. "That's what the packet says, at least. I have it right here in my hot little hand. You know what this means, right?"

"What?"

"This is your big chance, Kaidou-kun. Everybody knows your Hino-sama's successor."

"Me? Governor?" The very idea made Kaidou laugh. Him, the governor of the Tokyo metropolitan area? "Perhaps in a decade or so. I'm only an assistant."

"You're Hino-sama's _top_ assistant," Sasaki corrected, stressing the word "top." "Remember Hino-sama was your grandfather's top assistant before he ran for governor."

"He also was a member of the Assembly when he decided to run," Kaidou reminded him. "As for me, I don't have any experience in elected public office, Sasaki-kun. I highly doubt the people would elect a no-name assistant as governor."

"They would if his last name happened to be Kaidou and his mother happened to be the only daughter of a former governor. Man, I know some people who would kill to have your pedigree, including me."

Kaidou rolled his eyes. It always amused him whenever he heard somebody wishing they had his name. He doubted they would be so eager to become a Kaidou if they knew all that it entailed.

"Take it then. It's yours. You don't even have to kill anyone. I'll give it to you for free. Heck, I would even pay you to take it." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet and began flipping through his money, almost serious about the idea of selling his family name. Let somebody else deal with the pressure for a change. "How much do you want?"

"Put your wallet away, idiot," Sasaki said, shaking his head. "Sheesh, you don't even know how good you've got it."

"Oh, I know perfectly well what I have." Kaidou placed the folded wallet back in his pants pocket and let out an exasperated sigh. "I know I could win the election on my name recognition alone, but if I do ever run for public office, I want to feel as if I earned it."

"You're too idealistic for your own good, Kaidou-kun."

"Don't I know it…" Pulling up his sleeve, Kaidou glanced down at his watch and silently cursed under his breath. It was 4:01, exactly one minute after his meeting with the governor was supposed to begin. "Look, I need to go, Sasaki-kun. I'm already late for the meeting. It was nice talking to you. Bye!"

"See you! And good luck!"

Kaidou barely heard his friend's goodbye as he began walking down the hall to Hino Keitaro's office as fast as he could without breaking into a jog. Stupid Sasaki, holding him up when the assistant knew he had an important meeting with the governor… If the governor lectured him one more time about the importance on being on time, Sasaki could forget about getting a New Year's present this year, even if he was one of his closest friends at the office.

Huffing and puffing, hefinally entered the governor's office without knocking and found his secretary's desk unoccupied. It looked like Miss Katsuki had decided to take a short coffee break. Annoyed by her absence, Kaidou was tempted to reach over the desk and use the intercom himself to announce he had arrived for the meeting, but thinking better of it, he took a seat in a chair near the door to catch his breath. Besides, from the voices coming from the office, it sounded as if the governor was still in the middle of another meeting.

"I guess it's a good thing I was late after all," he said to himself with a chuckle, reaching for the newspaper sitting on the end table beside him to read while he waited.

Scanning the government section, Kaidou thought back to what Sasaki had told him about the press conference. Was the governor really going to step down after his term was over to run for a seat in the Diet? It was expected that one day Hino Keitaro would one day break onto the national political scene, of course, but Kaidou thought he would at least try for one more term as governor.

Then again, he was already in his fourth term in office. It was hard to remember that when the governor was still so young, not even yet forty. Keitaro had accomplished so much in his young life; it was only natural he would want to move onto bigger and better things. In Kaidou's eyes, it would be only a matter of time before he became Prime Minister of Japan.

Kaidou envied his boss. He always knew exactly what his goals were and worked hard to achieve them. That was one of the reasons he admired and respected him so much. Compared to the governor, though, he must seem like a snail. At twenty-five, Keitaro had already been elected to the Assembly and had begun his campaign for governor, and here he was, the exact same age, and nothing more than an assistant. No wonder his grandfather and parents thought he was a failure.

Oh, they didn't say it in so many words, but Kaidou knew what they were thinking behind those patronizing smiles and eyes full of pity. They thought he was unfocused and not serious enough for a career in politics - especially his father, a member of the prime minister's cabinet. Kaidou Taro had told him on more than one occasion that it was time for him to grow up and to start thinking about his future.

The only problem was, Kaidou didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Running for governor, as Sasaki had suggested, would be a wonderful opportunity for him, and he knew his family would approve, but it wasn't his dream job. He always imagined himself holding a less-prolific position, some place where he could make a difference without having to bother with petty political games and celebrity.

Sighing heavily, Kaidou neatly folded the newspaper back into its original shape and set it aside. It sounded like the meeting inside the office was coming to an end. He could hear footsteps coming toward the door and his boss's voice bidding his guest goodbye.

"Yes, I will call Nozumo-sama first thing tomorrow morning," he heard Keitaro say as the doorknob began to turn. "Goodbye, Negi-"

Kaidou immediately jumped up to greet the two men, never expecting the sight that greeted him instead when the door opened.

"Ojii-sama?" Kaidou asked, his eyes wide when he saw none other than his grandfather holding onto Keitaro's arm for support.

Negishi was startled to his grandson standing by the door, but managed to hide it well after he recovered from the initial shock. "Oh, Ace-kun, what a pleasant surprise," he said. "Keitaro-san said you two had scheduled a meeting, but I didn't know what time. I hope you weren't waiting long. My visit lasted longer than I expected."

Kaidou shook his head. "No, not at all," he replied. "But, ojii-sama, what are you doing here?"

His grandfather raised an eyebrow in his direction at the blunt question. "What? I can't visit an old friend at the office without your permission?"

"No, sir… I mean, yes, sir, you can visit anybody you like… What I meant… oh, man…"

Kaidou felt like slapping himself in the face, knowing he must look like an bumbling idiot to the two men he suspected were trying to hold back their chuckles. The governor was managing to conceal his amusement rather well, as usual, but his grandfather couldn't hold back an affectionate smile. "Articulate as always, aren't you, Ace-kun?" he lightly teased.

Fiddling with his tie once again, Kaidou cleared his throat and tried to save face in front of his idols. "I'm sorry, ojii-sama. What I meant to say is that I didn't expect to see you here. Your doctors said you shouldn't exert yourself too much…"

Negishi chuckled. "This is nothing. I'm not running the Tokyo Marathon, you know."

Open mouth, insert foot. Why was it that whenever his grandfather was around, he lost all sense of coherent speech? "N-No, of course not, sir. I didn't mean to imply…"

"Your grandfather was in the city for a doctor's appointment and decided to drop by," Keitaro explained before Kaidou could further make a fool of himself. "We had some business to discuss."

"Oh." He stuck with the simple interjection, figuring it was his safest bet.

"And now I will be leaving," his grandfather announced, letting go of his former protegé's arm and hesitantly stepping forward on his cane. "I know you two have much to discuss, so don't allow me to waste any more of your time. I will see you at dinner, Ace-kun. Goodbye."

"Wait, ojii-sama." Kaidou reached for his grandfather's arm as the elderly man started walking in the direction of the door. "If you don't mind waiting around here for a little while longer, I would be happy drive you back to the house. My meeting with Hino-sama shouldn't take that long. We'll go home together."

"No, thank you for the offer, but I already have my driver waiting downstairs. I'll be fine."

Kaidou released his arm. "Okay. I'll see you later. Goodbye."

The two watched the man slowly walk out the door and into the hallway before the governor finally stepped back inside, motioning Kaidou to follow. "Come, Kaidou-kun. We do have much to discuss."

With one last tug at his tie, Kaidou entered the office.

Meeting with the governor always intimidated Kaidou. There was something about the spacious office furnished with leather chairs and expensive works of art, as well as the formal atmosphere surrounding Keitaro, that put him on his guard. Feeling his stomach turn a somersault, he sat down in front of the desk at the governor's bidding.

"Would you like some coffee or tea?" Keitaro asked. Kaidou shook his head, his stomach still feeling a little queasy, and the governor took a seat in the large chair behind his desk, his hands folded neatly on the clear surface as the meeting officially began. "I suppose you're wondering why I wanted to see you, Kaidou-kun. I presume you have been informed of the press conference."

"Yes, sir. Sasaki-kun told me about it shortly before I arrived for the meeting."

"Did he tell you what it is to be about?"

Kaidou almost nodded his head, but remembering that Sasaki had told him the announcement in the strictest confidence, he lied. Sasaki might have caused him to be late to the meeting, but he was still a good friend, and he didn't want to get him in trouble. "No, he didn't, sir. All he said is that you were planning to make an important announcement about your future political career."

"That's correct. I've decided not to run for another term as governor and will instead try for a seat in the Diet come next election year."

"Congratulations. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful Diet member, Hino-sama."

A faint smile crossed the governor's lips. "Thank you for your confidence in me, Kaidou-kun," Keitaro said, pushing his glasses back into place. "However, we're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about you, and your plans for the future."

So Sasaki had been right about the reason for the meeting. "My plans for the future?" Kaidou repeated, gulping. His future was not one of his favorite things to discuss. He had a tendency to live only in the present, rarely thinking ahead, and it had gotten him in trouble with his father on more than one occasion.

Leaning back in his chair, the governor wore a rather amused look on his normally serious face. "I take it that you have not given the future much thought, then?"

"You could say that, sir."

"Your grandfather said as much."

"You and ojii-sama were discussing me?" For some reason, Kaidou did not like the sound of that. Not at all. His grandfather was more lenient than his father when it concerned his career, feeling he should be able to make his own decisions about what he wanted to do with his life, but that didn't stop him from giving his grandson subtle hints and pushes in the direction he wanted him to take. Negishi Shinji preferred the indirect approach and was rather crafty in his dealings despite his old age and failing health.

Keitaro nodded. "Your name did come up, yes."

"I suppose ojii-sama wants me to start thinking about the future, too," Kaidou said, barely holding back a sigh. "Is that why he visited you today?"

The governor ignored the question and continued with the main topic. "You are twenty-five years old, Kaidou-kun. You are not a child any more, and it is about time you seriously start considering what you want to do with the rest of your life. I'm not saying you need to have the next twenty years planned right down to the minute, but if you do want to have a career in politics, I suggest you begin setting some short-term goals and work to achieve them."

"Such as?"

"Well, for example, there are the 1994 elections coming up in three years. Perhaps you should think about running for public office."

"Like the governor's seat you will be vacating?" Kaidou asked, remembering what Sasaki had suggested before the meeting.

"That is one possibility," Keitaro agreed. "I would be willing to take you under my wing as your grandfather did me if that is the path you choose. I do think you have promise to become a wonderful governor, Kaidou-kun. You're hard-working, honest, and charismatic with an admirable sense of duty to the people. What more could the populace want in a leader?"

"But I'm afraid I don't have much experience in public office, Hino-sama. The only reason people know of me is because of my father and grandfather's names, and I have no interest in resting on my family's laurels. I want people to vote for me and not my name if I decide to run."

"That's true," Keitaro admitted. "I had much the same problem you had when I began my campaign for governor: very little experience and a famous name. However, those obstacles are not impossible to overcome with a little hard work and dedication."

"Do you really think so, sir?"

"Of course," Keitaro nodded. "However, if you don't feel qualified to run for governor just yet, though, there are other options. The Assembly elections are coming up next year, so there's always that possibility. I would highly suggest running for a seat, even if you haven't set any long-term, concrete goals. Being an Assembly member will give you valuable experience no matter what path you ultimately choose in the future. Perhaps you might even make a name for yourself, apart from Kaidou-sama and Negishi-sama."

"Perhaps," Kaidou said quietly. "I'll think about it."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic about the idea."

Kaidou heard the faint displeasure in Keitaro's voice and hastened to explain his reluctance. "Well, I haven't really given this much thought, sir. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do."

Keitaro rose from his chair, and walking to the large window behind him, drew back the red curtains. The city of Tokyo spread out before them, grand and majestic. It was a breathtaking view.

"It's an honorable life, Kaidou-kun," the governor said, his stony gray eyes looking out over the city he had served for the past thirteen years. "This has been my dream for as long as I could remember. You know, I still remember coming up to this very office with my uncle as a little boy to visit your grandfather and looking out at Tokyo, thinking of the day when I would become governor. Politics was all I could think about." The blond man sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"Sometimes I think the dream was better than the reality."

The last part he said in almost a whisper, the thought not meant to be heard by anyone but himself. However, Kaidou had managed to catch most of what he had said, and it confused him. "Hino-sama?"

Keitaro shook his head, brushing the comment aside. "It's nothing," he said. "Just promise me you will think about what we discussed today. You may leave. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Kaidou stood, still confused, but decided not to pry. "Goodbye, Hino-sama," he said quietly, manners forbidding a silent departure.

"Kaidou-kun?"

The assistant paused in the doorway, turning back to his boss, who was still standing by the window and staring at the city. "Yes, sir?"

"I won't be able to join you and Rei-san for her birthday dinner tomorrow. The press conference begins at seven, and I'm afraid there's no way I can make it. You'll pass along my condolences and tell her I wish her a happy birthday?"

Kaidou nodded. "Yes, Hino-sama."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Saburo woke up even earlier than usual to the sounds of Phobos and Deimos cawing loudly outside his room. The two birds were flying around and generally making as much noise as possible.

"Stupid birds," he muttered, wondering what had them so excited as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stretched.

The dreaming priest was not pleased by the early morning wake up call. Nevertheless, he rolled off his futon and headed to the open wall panel, sliding it close to block out the racket made by his granddaughter's mischievous pets. He then checked the time on his alarm clock sitting on the floor beside his bed.

It was only four o'clock in the morning, about an hour before his alarm was set to go off. The sun hadn't even risen yet. Outside, the sky was still a dark blue, a few stars twinkling dimly here and there as the luminous full moon peaked out from behind a veil of clouds. Frowning, Saburo hoped the sky would clear up by daybreak. Rei deserved nothing less than a beautiful sunny day on her thirteenth birthday.

Reminded of that fact, Saburo turned on a nearby lamp and began digging in his chest of drawers. He had hidden her present in there, not wanting his granddaughter to find the gift before her special day, and still needed to wrap it with the paper he bought at the store the other day.

His hand wrapping around the small box at the bottom of the drawer, Saburo pulled out the package and slid off the lid. Inside, nestled in black velveteen, was a set of hair combs. They were gold-plated, embellished with a line of small, but perfectly round, freshwater pearls at the top, each separated by tiny rubies and diamond chips. Of course, the rubies were lab-created and the diamonds were only promotional grade, but still, the combs were no pieces of cheap costume jewelry. Saburo had paid good money for the lovely hair ornaments.

Fingering the smoothness of the pearls, Saburo imagined how pretty Rei would look with the combs in her long raven hair. From the moment he saw them in the window of _Osa-P_ , a prominent jewelry story in the Juuban district, he knew they would be the perfect gift. However, it had been a struggle to save enough money to buy the combs for Rei's birthday. Saburo had had to make a lot of sacrifices to purchase them, but he knew they would be worth it to see the look her face when she opened her gift at breakfast. After all, it wasn't every day his granddaughter officially became a teenager. She deserved something special to mark the momentous occasion.

Placing the lid back on the box so that he could wrap the present, the priest chuckled, for the first time realizing what that meant. His granddaughter was a teenager. Where had the time gone? It seemed like only yesterday Takara had turned thirteen and was asking if she could get her hair bleached. Now, he would be going through the same thing with Rei. The thought scared and excited him at the same time.

Was he really ready to raise another teenage girl?

Sighing, Saburo pulled out a roll of silver wrapping paper and some red ribbon and began wrapping her present on the futon.

He supposed it didn't really matter if he was ready or not. There was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable from coming. Rei would become a teenager whether he liked it or not. That still didn't stop the adoring grandfather from wishing his granddaughter could stay an innocent little girl for a bit longer, though.

But Saburo knew it was time to let Rei grow up. She was already blossoming into a beautiful young lady, very much like her mother. Looking at Rei was like looking at a photograph of his beloved daughter at the same age. They both had the same amethyst eyes and ebony hair, along with pale porcelain skin. The only major difference between them was Rei's slightly larger build, a benefit of not having to suffer from the illness that claimed Takara's young life. Other than that, the two could have been twins. It was a comfort to him. With Rei around, sometimes it felt as if Takara was still with him.

After he finished tying the ribbon around the silver-wrapped box, he set the present aside and reached for a picture of Takara sitting by the alarm clock. Tears filled his eyes as he gazed upon his late daughter's smiling face, but Saburo wiped them away, determined not to cry on Rei's special day.

"I wish you were here, Takara," his whispered, bringing the photograph to his lips for a kiss. "You would be so proud of the woman your Rei-chan has become. So very proud…"

The alarm clock chose to ring at that moment, startling the old man from his reverie. Setting aside the picture, he rose from his bed and began getting dressed in his priest's robes. It was time for his usual morning mediation in front of the sacred fire.

Taking the present with him, Saburo sat the gift down on the low table in the living area where they usually ate their meals, then headed to his private prayer room down the hall. The fire was burning brightly, as usual, when he stepped inside. Shadows danced across the walls of the small room, and the heat warmed his skin like a lover's embrace. Feeling the familiar calm come over him at the sight, Saburo kneeled on the floor in front of the fire and began to pray.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen."

Visions soon appeared in the dancing flames, surprising the old priest in their rapidity and clarity. Normally, it was difficult to make out even one vision in the flickering reds, oranges, and yellows. Fire reading was not something that came easily, not even to a so-called master like himself, and it was rare to get even one vision. Today, however, the fire was very willing to cooperate. One might even say it was talkative - that is, if fire had the ability to talk.

Concentrating on the vision, Saburo stared deep into the fire, ignoring the intense heat surrounding him that caused beads of perspiration to roll down his face. In the flames, he saw a young girl, about twelve or thirteen years old, standing in what appeared to be rain. Though the shadow of the red umbrella she held in her right hand hid her face from view, he noticed the girl had long, dark hair pulled back into a braid. At first, he thought it might be Takara, but as the fire "panned" away to show the rest of the girl's body, it became obvious that she was not. The girl wore a familiar brown, gray, and red Catholic school girls' uniform and was slightly bigger than his delicate daughter had been.

Dark eyes widened in recognition. "Rei-chan…"

The vision wavered as Saburo whispered her name and momentarily lost his concentration, but it did not disappear. Instead, it panned even further away, revealing the girl was not alone. Up ahead, there were two more people, a man and a woman, sharing their own umbrella. They appeared very much a couple, the pretty woman laughing as she playfully touched her lover's nose. The man's arm was wrapped tightly around her waist and he was smiling, not at all embarrassed to show his affection toward the blonde.

Saburo watched the scene in confusion, wondering why of all things, the fire would show him this. A premonition of the future? He was not a fortune-teller, but it was not unheard of for the fire to show him future events. Rare, but not improbable. His eyes narrowed as he urged the fire to continue.

The focus was now back on the girl, Rei. She had tipped her umbrella back just far enough so he could finally see her face, and it pained him to see her amethyst eyes were filled with tears. She was shaking her head in disbelief, seemingly shocked by something she saw. Saburo couldn't see what it was, but he had a fairly good idea. The girl then took a few steps backward, dropped her umbrella, and pivoted on her heel. The last thing he saw before the vision abruptly ended was the girl's rain-and-tear-streaked face as she ran away from whatever it was that caused her so much pain.

The flames of the sacred fire died down after the vision faded away, returning to its usual size. It was as if nothing ever happened. Saburo wiped the sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his robe, speechless by what he had just seen. Absolutely speechless.

Was that a vision of his granddaughter's future? If so, then why would the fire show him that? To protect her from her heartbreak? There was no doubt in his mind that whatever she saw caused her unbelievable pain and sorrow. Rei was not prone to tears, especially not over insignificant things. Whatever it was had hurt her badly.

But what could he do about it? He didn't recognize the couple he saw in the vision. Although, now that he thought about it, the man did seem vaguely familiar. Saburo tried to recall his face, but already, his memory of the vision was growing dim. The only thing he could remember about the man was that he wore gold wire-rimmed glasses.

"Ojii-san?"

Hearing Rei's voice, Saburo involuntarily jumped. "Rei-chan!" he exclaimed, craning his neck around to glance behind him. Rei's head was peeping inside the prayer room from the doorway. "I didn't expect you to be out of bed so early today. You know I told you that you could sleep in and I would take care of your morning chores."

Rei rolled her eyes. "You spoil me too much, ojii-san. You remind me of Yukana-san sometimes. It's only my birthday; there's no reason why I shouldn't have to do my chores. Besides, I like working around the shrine. I can't sit around here and do nothing all day long. I would go out of my mind."

Chuckling, Saburo stood from his kneeling position and dusted some ash off the back of his robes. "Are you sure you're Hino Takara's daughter?" he joked. "I remember Takara used to jump at any opportunity she could get to get out of her chores. That is, unless she thought I was babying her. Then she would do extra chores just to spite me, but… I'm rambling again, aren't I?"

"Maybe a little, but I don't mind," Rei said. She stepped forward into the room, revealing she was already dressed in her miko's robes, and leaned up against the wall. "I like hearing about okaa-sama when she was my age. Was she really such a slacker around the shrine?"

He smiled. "Well, I don't think I would use the word 'slacker,' but Takara did have a tendency to daydream quite a bit. I can't tell you how many times I caught that girl staring off into space, a rake in her hand and not a single leaf cleared out of the way." Remembering those days, he shook his head ruefully. "It really was a wonder we got any work done around here. If it hadn't been for Miyuki-chan picking up the slack, Hikawa would not be in business."

"How is Watanabe-san, anyway?" Rei asked. "Have you talked to her lately?"

Miyuki and Kazuya had left Tokyo about a year or two after Takara's death when Kazuya had received a great job offer in Nagano. Though they were only able to visit every once in a while, Saburo still kept in touch with his daughter's best friend through letters and the occasional long-distance telephone call.

"Miyuki-chan and her husband are doing fine," he answered. "They're expecting another baby, you know. Sometime in August, I believe."

Rei arched an eyebrow in his direction at the announcement. "Another baby? Isn't that the third one?"

"Fourth," he corrected. "Takara-kun, Reika-chan, Fumie-chan, and of course, the upcoming arrival."

"Wow, big family…" his granddaughter murmured, her voice filled with awe.

Saburo laughed. "Yes, well, Miyuki-chan always did say she wanted at least a half-dozen children. From the look of things, I say she's well on her way to reaching her goal," he said, walking to the door. He showed Rei out and slid the door shut behind them before they began walking back down the hall. "Now, why don't I start breakfast? What would you like this morning? Pancakes? Eggs?"

Rei frowned, her arms folded across her chest. "Ojii-san, you know it's my job to cook breakfast today. I already told you I wasn't going to ignore my chores."

"But it's your birthday, Rei-chan. If you're going to be stubborn about this, the least you can do is allow me to make you a special breakfast."

"What if I actually want to be able to eat my breakfast?" she teased.

Saburo feigned hurt, although he knew there was some truth in the statement. He was no gourmet chef in the kitchen, even after years of living on his own. About the only thing he could prepare half-way decently was sandwiches. "Are you suggesting I'm a bad cook?"

"No, I'm saying you're a bad cook."

"Bah, you just have delicate taste buds," he said as they passed by the kitchen. Stopping at the door, he waved Rei away. "No, go feed those pesky crows of yours, and when you come back, I'll have a feast prepared, fit for a princess."

"Okay, ojii-san…" she said, heading to the front door. "If you say so."

He ignored the subtle tone of mockery in her voice and stepped inside the small area they called the kitchen to begin breakfast. Deciding on pancakes, as they were fairly easy to make, Saburo pulled out the ingredients he needed and got to work. Soon, the kitchen was alive with the pleasing aroma of pancakes with only the slightest stench of burning in the air.

He was busy flipping the last batch of pancakes and humming the _Birthday Song_ to himself when he heard Rei come back inside after she finished throwing out the corn for the crows. A few seconds later, she was at the door of the kitchen, pretending to sniff loudly. "It does smell awfully good in here," she admitted.

Saburo smiled triumphantly, flipping one of the pancakes high in the air. He caught it easily and set the lightly browned batter back on the skillet. "See, I told you I could do this. Nothing to it."

"Well, I'll reserve judgment until I see how they taste," Rei said. His granddaughter came up beside him, and Saburo saw she had her birthday present in her hands. "Is this for me, ojii-san? I found it sitting on the table."

"Yeah. It's your birthday gift from me."

"May I open it?"

Saburo nodded, wiping his batter-covered hands on a nearby towel. He had just finished placing the last of the pancakes on the plate. "If you would like."

Rei set the small box wrapped in silver paper down on the counter and fingered the satin ribbon tied around it, contemplating the package. "It's almost too pretty to unwrap."

"Now you tell me. If I had known all that would make you happy was a pretty box, I could have saved myself a good deal of money."

"Ojii-san!" Rei laughed and began unwrapping the present, careful not to tear the pretty wrapping paper too much or mess up the bow so she could save it for her scrapbook.

Watching her, Saburo thought he was about to die from the slow agony she was putting through. His heart was pounding in anticipation of seeing the look on her face when she saw what was inside. Would she like it?

Finally, though, she reached for the box and lifted up the lid. Saburo was not disappointed. Her purple eyes lit up like the lights on a Christmas tree, and a small gasp of surprise escaped her lips. Rei carefully took the combs out of the box and held them in her hands, treating them with the utmost care and delicacy as if she were afraid they were made of glass and would shatter at the slightest touch. "Oh, ojii-sama…" she whispered.

"Do you like them?" he asked needlessly.

"They're beautiful…" Her voice drifted off as the light in her eyes suddenly dimmed. With a sigh, she reached for her grandfather's arm and placed the pretty hair ornaments in his hand. "But I can't possibly accept them."

Saburo, not understanding her sudden change of moods, looked down at the combs he held in his hand in confusion. One minute she was beyond happy with her gift, the next minute she was giving them back to him. He didn't understand. "Why not?"

"They're too expensive. You can't possibly afford to give me presents like those combs, ojii-san - not when money around the shrine is so tight. I can't believe you would be so careless with our finances. Just last week, you told me you asked for an extension on our electric bill. Remember? Or did you forget?"

"No, I didn't forget," he said softly. "But I didn't use any money from the shrine's budget to buy you these combs, Rei-chan."

"Then how?" Rei asked. "Did you borrow the money from otou-sama?"

Truthfully, that had been his first idea when he decided he wanted to buy the combs for Rei's birthday. Saburo even found the nerve to write Keitaro for a loan, but the letter was never sent. The envelope still sat in the bottom of one of his drawers, sealed and addressed, almost forgotten until Rei brought up the subject of the money.

It wasn't that Saburo had been afraid his son-in-law would say "no." Keitaro was more than generous with his monthly child support checks and donations to the shrine. Saburo didn't doubt the governor would give him the loan had he asked, but the thought of asking for charity from him, of all people, was galling. Saburo was a proud man, and he felt the birthday present should be all his, not just in name alone.

He shook his head in response to Rei's question. "No, I didn't borrow money from Hino-sama," he said, his gaze still on the combs. He refused to look up at his granddaughter, knowing she probably wouldn't like hearing what he had done instead. "I, uh, pawned some of Noriko's things."

As he suspected, Rei was suitably upset at the news. "You didn't!"

"It wasn't that much," he assured her. "Only a few pieces of costume jewelry and a couple of trinkets."

"But they were obaa-san's things." His granddaughter came up behind him, and in a rare show of affection, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her head resting on his shoulder. Rei was already about as tall as he was. "I know that couldn't have been easy for you."

Saburo sighed. It had been difficult to part with the items Noriko loved so much, but he had wanted so badly to give Rei something special for her birthday… He didn't regret his decision. Besides, had his wife still been alive, she probably would have come up with the same idea. That's what they had done years earlier, when the two of them bought the ruby necklace that now hung around Rei's neck for Takara. He had even gone to the same pawn shop just a few blocks down in the shopping district as before.

"They're only material items, Rei-chan," he said. "I still have my memories of Noriko, right here in my heart. I don't need a pair of earrings to remind me of her."

"Still, I want you to take the combs back. Maybe you can get a refund and pay back the pawnbroker for obaa-"

Saburo shook his head. "It's no use, little one. I can't return the combs. I bought them on sale at _Osa-P_ , and all sales on clearance items are final. Besides, even if Osaka-san took pity on me and I could get a refund, I pawned those items months ago. I doubt Noriko's things are still there. The pawnbroker said they would be easy to sell."

"Oh. I'm sorry, ojii-san."

Her embrace around him loosened, allowing Saburo to turn around to face his granddaughter. He reached for Rei's hand and gave back the combs. Though she was shaking her head in refusal, he curled her fingers over the small objects and kissed the back of her hand. "I want you to have these combs, Rei-chan," he said.

"B-But…"

"Do you not like them?"

"You know I do, ojii-san. They're beautiful."

Saburo smiled. "Then, it's settled. They're yours, and I'm not hearing another argument about it."

Unfurling her fingers, Rei looked down at the combs, unsure of what to say. He could tell she was still reluctant about accepting the expensive gift, but finally she sighed in defeat and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, ojii-san. I'll treasure them always."

Just then, there was a knock on the front door. Neither had any idea who the visitor could be. It was rare to have callers so early in the morning. Shrugging her shoulders, Rei put the combs in her pocket and left to answer the door while Saburo put the finishing touches on their breakfast.

"Who was it, Rei-chan?" he asked when he carried the tray out into the living quarters. Setting the tray down on the table, he looked over at his granddaughter, who was still standing by the door.

In her arms, Rei held a large package wrapped in metallic red wrapping paper and a beautiful bouquet. He recognized the pretty white flowers as Casablanca lilies, her favorites. "It was the delivery man," she answered, her voice betraying no sense of emotion. "He brought me these."

Saburo began setting the table for their meal. "Oh, more birthday presents. Are they from Hino-sama?"

Rei nodded as she walked over to the table and set the large box down. "At least that's what the card says," she said. There was a look of sadness in her eyes as she reread the tiny card in the flowers. "It doesn't look like otou-sama's handwriting, though. It's really messy. I can barely make out the kanji."

"Perhaps he ordered them over the phone and had the florist write the note for him," Saburo suggested. "You know your father is a very busy man."

"I suppose so." She didn't sound very convinced, though.

"In any case, it's a beautiful bouquet," he said brightly, hoping Rei would cheer up. Saburo hated seeing Rei so depressed on what should have been a happy day for her. "Casablanca lilies are your favorite, aren't they? I'll go get a vase. They'll make a pretty centerpiece for my mouth-watering pancake feast."

Rei smiled tentatively at his pathetic attempt at humor, kneeling down at the low table as Saburo searched for a vase for her flowers. He managed to find one in the kitchen and filled it with water. Coming back out, he placed the bouquet in the vase and set it down in the center. "There! Gorgeous."

"I guess so," Rei replied, not even looking up to see.

"Rei-chan…" Saburo reached to pat her shoulder, but sensing she didn't want his comfort, he sighed and took a seat at the table across from her. "Aren't you going to open your other present?" he asked instead, noticing the red box sat unopened on the floor beside her.

She shrugged. "It's probably the same as last year," she said blandly.

Still, Rei cleared a spot on the table for the large package and began unwrapping it. This time, she didn't bother being neat about it, ripping through the paper in three swift motions to reveal a white box printed with the logo of an exclusive boutique. She then crumpled the paper into a large ball and tossed it aside before lifting the lid off the box.

Inside, hidden underneath a layer of tissue paper, was a dress - most likely a very expensive dress, judging by the brief glimpse of the foreign label he saw attached to the bodice. Saburo didn't know much about fashion, but he did recognize the name Versace. Rei appeared unimpressed, though.

"Lilies and a white dress, the same as last year," she said, partially lifting the designer outfit from the box for a better look. "What did I tell you? I didn't even have to use my 'gifts' to see that one coming."

"It's a beautiful dress, Rei-chan," Saburo said. "Hino-sama must have paid a great deal of money to buy it for you."

Rei folded the dress back in the box and set it aside. "His money doesn't impress me. The one thing I want from him, money can't buy."

Saburo gave his granddaughter a sympathetic look. Though she tried to hide it from him, Saburo knew Rei's fondest wish was for Keitaro to ask her to move back in with him at the manor. That was all she ever wanted - her father back.

It didn't bother Saburo. In his heart, he knew Rei loved him and Hikawa, but he couldn't blame her for wanting to be with her father, even after all the disappointments he had given her over the last six years. Underneath all the bitterness she felt toward Keitaro for what he had done to her, Rei still loved her father.

"So, are you and Hino-sama going out to dinner tonight, Rei-chan?" Saburo asked after a short silence, pouring some syrup over his high stack of pancakes.

Rei's face brightened a little bit. "yeah. Otou-sama and Kaidou-san are taking me to _The Rain Tree_."

"Kaidou-san is coming as well?"

"Yes, he told me yesterday."

For a moment, Saburo had a flashback to the vision he had that morning in the sacred fire, and he remembered the man with the gold wire-rimmed glasses. He couldn't be certain, but he had a bad feeling he suddenly knew who the man was.

"Be careful, Rei-chan," he warned.

Rei gave him a confused look as she poured a generous serving of syrup over her stack of pancakes. "Of what, ojii-san?"

Not knowing whether he should tell her about the vision or not, he simply shook his head.

"Just be careful."

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Later that afternoon, a red sports car pulled up beside the sidewalk in front of the shrine and parked. A handsome man stepped out, holding a medium-sized package under his arm. After running a hand through his unruly red hair and checking his reflection in the rear-view mirror, he began climbing the stone stairs leading up to Hikawa.

When he reached the torii of the shrine, the man paused, shifting the rather heavy birthday gift to his other arm. He then searched the vicinity, his green eyes falling on a pretty young miko busy raking the cherry blossoms. His hand raised in greeting.

"Rei-chan!"

Hearing his voice, the miko glanced up from her work, her face breaking into a bright smile. "Uchizawa-san!" she exclaimed. Her chore was forgotten as Rei dropped the rake to the ground with a clatter, scaring some nearby crows, and walked over to greet her beloved godfather. "Hi!"

"Happy birthday, Rei-chan!" Minoru said, pulling her into a hug.

"I wasn't expecting to see you today. What are you doing here?" Rei asked once they broke away from their embrace. "I thought you were supposed to be in the States. Don't you have that big meeting in New York?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't leave without wishing my favorite goddaughter a happy birthday."

Rei laughed. "I'm your only goddaughter, Uchizawa-san."

Shrugging, Minoru grinned. "So? That doesn't mean you're not my favorite," he pointed out quite truthfully. "Actually, I'm on my way to the airport right now. I just wanted to stop by and give you your present before I left. Here. I hope you like it."

"What is it? It's a little heavy."

"Open it and find out."

"May I?"

"Go ahead. That is, unless it will keep you from your chores. I don't want Kondo-sama mad at me for distracting you from your work."

She smiled. "No, that's not a problem. Ojii-san is running some errands in the shopping district, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I take a little break. Besides, I'm almost finished anyway. Come."

Leading him over to the patio surrounding the shrine's living quarters, Rei took a seat on the stairs and placed the gift on her lap. Minoru sat down beside her and watched the teen tear through the purple and gold wrapping paper with care.

"A calligraphy textbook!" she exclaimed happily once she opened the box. "I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. I found it while browsing at this wonderful used bookstore in Kyoto and immediately thought of you, since I know how interested you are in calligraphy." Minoru winked, casually leaning back on his elbows. "Besides, I figured now that you're a teenager, you probably wouldn't want any more porcelain dolls."

"Ah, the end of a tradition," Rei commented, a little mournfully. For as long as either of them could remember, Minoru had given her a doll for her birthday, many which he had bought on his many business trips around the world. She had acquired quite a valuable collection over the years. "I liked the dolls you gave me, though, Uchizawa-san. They were beautiful."

"You sound a little disappointed."

Rei sighed, her fingers running across the raised red characters on the front of the leather-bound book in her hands. "No, you're right. I am a little old for dolls. It's time I moved on."

"So, what is on the agenda today?" he asked, changing the subject. "Any plans with friends to celebrate the big day?"

"Uchizawa-san, you know I don't have many friends." Rei stood from her seat on the stairs and walked over to where she dropped her broom. Picking it up, the miko resumed her chores nearby. "The only plans I have are dinner with otou-sama and Kaidou-san at _The Rain Tree_. That is, if otou-sama doesn't cancel at the last minute because of some meeting or something. He has a habit of doing that, you know."

Minoru frowned, sitting back up. He was well aware of Keitaro's track record when it came to his daughter. It was amazing that a man usually so meticulous about his schedule somehow always managed to double book on Rei's birthday. If he didn't know better, Minoru would think Keitaro did it on purpose.

Perhaps he did. To be honest, Minoru had no idea what was going through that man's head these days. It felt like he barely knew Keitaro anymore. They were still friends, of course, but not as close as they were before. Keitaro had even gone back to calling him "Minoru-kun," a blunt signal that the governor no longer considered him a confidant.

Minoru suspected Keitaro never really forgave him for the things he had said to him the day Rei left the manor and moved to Hikawa. He said he had, but their relationship had been strained ever since. It didn't help matters that Minoru continued to visit Rei at the shrine on a somewhat regular basis, while she was lucky to see her father even three times a year. Minoru knew it bothered Keitaro that his best friend had a better relationship with his daughter than he did, even if he refused to admit it.

"Your father is a very complicated man, Rei-chan," Minoru finally said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

She nodded, leaning her broom up against the porch after she finished raking most of the blossoms around her into a large pile. "That he is," she said softly, sitting back down on the stairs with her godfather. "I don't understand otou-sama at all, and I don't think I ever will."

Minoru pulled the young miko toward him in comfort, letting Rei rest her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing, Uchizawa-san? It isn't your fault otou-sama doesn't care about me."

"No, maybe not, but I am sorry for the way Keitaro has treated you these past six years," Minoru said, landing a light kiss on the top of her raven head. "You deserve better than what he's given you, so much better. I only wish there was something more I could have done…"

Rei squeezed his hand and smiled faintly. "That's okay. You've done so much for me since okaa-sama died. I couldn't ask for anything more, Uchizawa-san."

He smiled sadly. Ever since Rei's move to Hikawa, Minoru had tried his best to make up for the absence of Keitaro in his daughter's life with regular visits to the shrine, and when he was away on business, long letters and phone calls. They were only small things, but it was the least he could do.

"Let's talk about something more pleasant," Rei suggested, again climbing down the stairs. She stooped down to gather some leftover corn in her hand and held it out to the two crows that had flown over while they were talking.

"Like what?" Minoru asked, smiling at the subtle reminder of her mother, who never had liked talking about unpleasant things. He resumed his casual position on the stairs, elbows propped up behind him, long legs stretched to their full length and crossed at the ankles, and his head tilted toward the clear blue sky as a warm spring breeze tousled his hair. He'd forgotten how peaceful the shrine could be.

Rei shrugged. "I don't know. Anything. Um… Have you heard the big news about Watanabe-san?"

"No, I haven't. What is it?" he asked, curious.

"She's expecting another baby in August."

The news wasn't all that shocking, considering it was the fourth time he had received it, but it still caused Minoru to feel some sadness. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for them, because he was. He loved Miyuki's three other children as if they were his own, and would love the new arrival just as much. However, the news reminded him of what he would never have - a family with Miyuki.

"Ah, that is wonderful news. I'm happy for Miyuki and her husband," Minoru finally said with a small smile, noticing that Rei was waiting for a reaction.

"Uchizawa-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you always look like that whenever somebody mentions Watanabe-san's name?"

Minoru blushed, his skin almost as red as his hair. "Look like what, Rei-chan?"

"I don't know how to explain it. You get this far-away glazed look in your eyes, like you're remembering something, and there's a soft smile on your face. It looks a little sad, but not really. More like wistful. Kind of like an old lover reminiscing over a long ago romance."

Minoru chuckled. "You're a perceptive young lady, aren't you?" he commented.

"Did you love her?"

"Yes, I loved her. I loved Miyuki very much. Still do, actually, if I'm honest with you."

"What happened, though? If you love her so much, then why is she married to Watanabe-san and not to you?" Rei's porcelain cheeks grew rosy, and she turned away when she realized what she was asking. "Forgive me. I shouldn't be asking such personal questions. I've probably brought up bad memories…"

Minoru shook his head. "I don't mind, Rei-chan. You know you can ask me anything. Do you really want to know why I'm not married to Miyuki?"

"Yes, I do - that is, if you don't mind."

"Because she didn't love me back. Not in the same way I love her, at least. All she ever saw me as was her good friend. It was Watanabe-san she truly loved."

"I'm sorry."

"Now who's apologizing for things that don't concern them?" he lightly teased.

"But it must have hurt watching the one you love marry another."

Minoru didn't deny it. Attending Miyuki's and Kazuya's wedding was one of the hardest - if not the hardest - things he ever had to do. A part of her would always have a special place in his heart, but life still went on without her.

"It did," he admitted. "But you know what they say, 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.'"

"Is that true?" Rei asked. "It seems to me like all love causes is heartache and sorrow. I don't see the point. Isn't it better not to fall in love at all, than to risk the chance of getting hurt? Is love really worth all that trouble?"

Her questions surprised Minoru. They were not the words of a young teenager dreaming of first love, but of an experienced woman far beyond her years, disillusioned and bitter. It reminded him of her father in a way, and it saddened Minoru to hear Rei talk like that when she had yet to even experience her first crush. Whatever happened to dreams of Prince Charming, roses, and moonlight kisses?

"Some people might not think so, but I don't agree. Love is the most powerful emotion in the world, Rei-chan. Sure, there's always the possibility of getting your heart broken, but if you aren't willing to take that risk, then you'll miss out on something really special. I wouldn't trade what I feel for Miyuki for anything in the world."

"I don't understand. That doesn't make any sense. She hurt you so badly, yet you say you still love her, as if it didn't matter."

"You'll understand one day. Someday, you'll fall in love, and then you will see why I can still feel this way and yet be happy for her."

"I don't plan to ever fall in love," Rei declared, a touch of bitterness in her usually melodic voice.

Stunned by her announcement, Minoru pulled himself back upright and looked at his beautiful goddaughter. "What? What do you mean, Rei-chan? You can't possibly mean that…"

A sigh escaped her lips, and Rei took a seat on the edge of the porch, one of her legs dangling off the side and her back leaning against one of the wooden posts. One of her crow friends perched itself on the hand she held out to it, while its companion danced on the ground. "I do," she said softly. "I never want to fall in love. I've seen the unhappiness it causes. Okaa-sama loved otou-sama, but all he ever did was disappoint her."

"Rei-chan…"

The miko shook her head. "Don't try to defend him, Uchizawa-san. I know his job as governor of Tokyo kept him busy, but that was no excuse. It was his choice to put his career before his family, and it killed her. He killed her."

"Takara-san was born with a weak heart," Minoru said, feeling the urge to defend his friend from Rei's harsh accusation. "You know that. It wasn't Keitaro's fault she died."

"Perhaps not directly, but he is not without blame. Otou-sama broke her heart the night she died. I was too young at the time to realize it, but I know it was true. Okaa-sama was so looking forward to going out to dinner with you and Watanabe-san. She looked so beautiful that night, happier than I had seen her for the longest time, and I could tell she was excited. But then otou-sama called and said he couldn't come because he needed to work late at the office. You should have seen the look on her face when she hung up the phone, Uchizawa-san… He broke her heart, and it killed her."

Minoru listened to the story in silence, sobered by what Rei was telling him. No one had ever told him what really happened the night Takara died. All he had heard was that she had had a heart attack at the manor. The night of her death, he, Miyuki, Kazuya, and his date - her name was either Suki or Saki, something like that - had been waiting at _Umi's_ , waiting for Takara and Keitaro to show, when they received Mrs. Yukana's message to meet them at the hospital. When they arrived, they had found Keitaro already sitting in the waiting room. Minoru didn't think anything strange about that at the time, figuring he must have ridden up there in the ambulance with Takara, but if what Rei was saying was true, Keitaro must have been at the office when he heard the news. The hospital wasn't too far away from the government building; he could have arrived in record time.

"Keitaro canceled?"

Rei nodded, giving him a strange look. "You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't. He never told me."

"Well, I guess you can't really blame him, can you?" she said bitterly. "If I had killed someone like he did, I probably wouldn't want anyone to know about it either."

Minoru frowned. "You don't really mean that, Rei-chan."

"What does it matter if I do or not?" she asked. She turned her face away from him, but not before he saw her wipe her sleeve across her eyes. "Look, can we please just not talk about otou-sama any more, Uchizawa-san?"

"That's fine," Minoru said, glancing down briefly at his watch to check the time. It was getting rather late. If he wanted to make his four o'clock flight to New York, he needed to be on his way. Standing, he brushed away some dirt that had collected on the back of his business suit and stepped down the stairs. "I have to go now, anyway. I don't want to miss my plane."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you were on your way to the airport." Rei jumped up from her seat on the porch and bowed in apology. "I'm terribly sorry for keeping you."

"No, that's okay, Rei-chan. It was nice talking to you. Tell Kondo-sama I said hello."

"I will. Goodbye, Uchizawa-san. Have a safe trip."

"Bye."

As he walked toward the steps leading back down to his car, Minoru paused and turned for one final look at his goddaughter before he left. Rei had already returned to her chores, tossing a batch of cherry blossoms into the trash before she greeted a young couple who passed him by. Minoru frowned at the sight. As much as he hated to admit it, the miko was sometimes very much like her father.

He knew better than most people that it didn't pay to be bitter, but how could he explain that to somebody like Rei? Once again he could only stand on the sidelines and watch as history repeated itself.

With a heavy sigh, Minoru turned back around and hurried down the steps. There was no time for dallying. He had a plane to catch.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, Rei wore a blank expression on her face as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't smile, yet she didn't frown either. All in all, she was rather indifferent. It wasn't as if this evening was something special. It happened every year, and it was difficult to be excited about it.

Her father's car would be arriving soon to take her to _The Rain Tree_ restaurant downtown for her birthday dinner. Rei wasn't necessarily looking forward to spending an entire evening with Keitaro, but the knowledge that Kaidou would be there as well made the idea somewhat more bearable. In her mind, the positive and the negative balanced each other out. She had decided she would be able to survive a couple of awkward, uncomfortable hours with her estranged father as long as Kaidou was there to keep her company.

Thinking of the handsome assistant, Rei felt her cheeks begin to warm, and her reflection started to glow a rosy pink. That did cause her to frown. She didn't understand why she kept doing that. Why did thinking of Kaidou suddenly embarrass her? It never had before. She was beginning to act like one of those girls at school, the ones who always sighed and whispered inappropriate desires whenever Father Arakawa, affectionately known as "the young one", passed them by on the way to the chapel for morning Mass. The comparison did not please her at all.

 _I'm not like them_ , she thought to herself. _I have better things to do with my time than getting all starry-eyed and red over some man, especially Kaidou. He's my friend, has been ever since I could remember. Nothing more. Yes, he is quite handsome and very kind to me, but…_

Angry with herself for even daring to think such thoughts, Rei grabbed her brush and began yanking it through her long black hair. The whole thing was insane. She wasn't like that! It was all Tanaka Sayo's fault for thinking Kaidou was her boyfriend when he walked her home from school yesterday, Rei decided. If Sayo hadn't said that, then she never would be having such ideas.

Of course, Rei conveniently forgot how her heart had skipped a beat when she first saw him at the gates of the Academy or how embarrassed she was when he offered to carry her books before Sayo and her groupies even appeared. Those were only minor things, easily explained, and they had nothing to do with her romantic feelings for Kaidou. Correction: her non-existent romantic feelings for Kaidou.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Rei-chan, are you almost dressed?" her grandfather asked. "The car will be here soon."

Rei set her brush back down on her vanity, her hair falling like black silk around her almost bare shoulders. "Hai, ojii-san," she called out. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Okay, don't take too long. I'll be outside, doing a few last minute chores, if you need me." Through the paper-thin walls, she heard the rustling of robes and soft footsteps as her grandfather headed to the front door and stepped outside.

When she heard the door close behind him, Rei faintly smiled. He always insisted the shrine be in tip-top shape whenever her father was due for a visit. She didn't know why he bothered going through so much trouble, since most of the time, Keitaro ended up not showing at all, sending his driver to pick her up instead, but Rei never argued. If Saburo wanted to waste his time, then that was fine with her.

Digging through the small wooden jewelry box sitting on her vanity, Rei pulled out the pretty hair combs Saburo bought her for her birthday. She sighed as she placed them in her hair. He really shouldn't have spent so much money on something she would probably wear once or twice. They were too fancy to wear with her school uniform, and she definitely couldn't show them off at the shrine, where patrons might get the wrong idea. She wondered what on Earth possessed him to buy them for her.

Not that she didn't love them, because she did. They were the most beautiful hair ornaments she had ever seen, and the fact that they came at the cost of a huge sacrifice made them even more precious, but Rei wished Saburo hadn't gone through so much trouble. Her grandfather seemed to think that because she had grown up in a privileged household, she liked expensive things, when in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Material things didn't impress her, but feelings did. It was the feelings behind the gift that made the combs so special, not how much they cost.

The same could not be said for the dress she supposedly received from her father. It was pretty enough - there was no denying that whoever bought it had excellent taste - but after tonight, it would most likely find itself sitting in the back of her closet, never to be touched or worn again, just like the dress she received last year. Maybe she would even decide to take it to that pawn shop her grandfather was talking about and use the money to buy back some of her grandmother's things, if they were still there. If not, she could always donate the money to the shrine. Either way, she would find a good use for it.

Noticing the time, Rei quickly draped her mother's ruby necklace around her neck, her fingers fumbling a little with the clasp, then stood to take one final look at her reflection in the mirror. What she saw brought a smile to her face.

While she was not by nature a particularly vain person, Rei couldn't help but think she did look beautiful tonight. The white dress suited her perfectly. The fitted bodice, held up by a couple of thin spaghetti straps, was overlaid with a delicate lace and hugged her budding curves, while the bottom flared out in a mass of tulle, ending just above her knees. It was lady-like and innocent, while at the same time making Rei feel incredibly adult and sophisticated. Her ruby necklace and the sparkling hair combs only complimented the dress more, and she blushed as she wondered what Kaidou would think when he saw her at the restaurant.

"Stop thinking things like that!" Rei scolded herself, her nose wrinkling in distaste. She then laughed, thinking how absolutely ridiculous she must sound, talking to her reflection in the mirror.

After wrapping a matching white shawl around her shoulders, Rei grabbed her purse from off the futon and went outside to wait for the car to arrive. Her grandfather was busy sweeping underneath the torii when she came out, but upon the appearance of his granddaughter, he immediately stopped and set his broom aside, his eyes filled with adoration.

"Rei-chan, you look beautiful tonight," he complimented her. "So elegant and grown-up. Those combs suit you well."

Slightly embarrassed, yet at the same time pleased, Rei felt her cheeks redden again. She bowed to hide her reaction. "Thank you, ojii-san," she said. "Any sign of my father's car yet? It should be here any minute."

Even as she said that, they both saw the headlights of an elegant limo pull up beside the sidewalk and park. "Looks like it arrived right on time," her grandfather said as the chauffeur opened his door and stepped out to greet them. Keitaro, apparently, had not come as usual, for the back door remained closed. Neither were very surprised by his absence.

"Hino-san, shall we be on our way?" the middle-aged driver asked after exchanging pleasantries.

Rei nodded, pulling her shawl, which had fallen off her slender shoulders, back into place. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. After saying goodnight to her grandfather, she allowed Ogata to lead her to the limo and climbed inside the roomy back seat, the driver closing the door behind her.

" _The Rain Tree_ , I presume, Hino-sama?" he asked, sliding back into his seat behind the wheel.

"Yes, Ogata-san."

The drive to the restaurant was short and uneventful. Once they arrived, Rei opened her passenger side door and stepped out, not even waiting for Ogata to assist her. She then headed inside, greeted by the man standing beside the door.

"Welcome to _The Rain Tree_ , Hino-sama," the maitre d' said, recognizing her immediately even though she never recalled meeting him. Being the daughter of the governor, it was not an uncommon occurrence. The man grabbed a menu from the stack sitting on his podium and motioned for her to follow him. "Come, your party has been waiting for you."

Approaching the table, Rei saw that the so-called "party" consisted of exactly one person, his head buried in his menu so that only his light brown hair peeked over the top. Her father was conspicuously absent. It hardly surprised her.

Rei inwardly sighed. Yet another promise broken. What did she expect? Her father was the king of broken promises. But she wouldn't let it bother her. She hadn't even wanted to see him. Not really.

"Good evening, Kaidou-san," Rei said as the handsome man sat his menu down on the table, noticing their arrival.

"Oh, you're here." Kaidou smiled and stood to pull her chair out from underneath the table, a true gentleman. "Happy birthday, Rei-chan!"

"Thank you."

Once they were settled, the waiter took their order. Rei chose the smoked salmon, while Kaidou had steak. They smiled at each other as they ordered, because they'd chosen the exact same things last year. Rei's smile died almost immediately, however. Her father's absence, while it was expected, still pained her somehow. The empty seat almost taunted her. She wasn't important enough for him…

"Otou-sama was unable to come, I suppose?" she asked when the waiter had left.

Kaidou cleared his throat, looking a little uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan. He had to attend a press conference, but Hino-sama did want me to tell you he wishes you a happy birthday," he added quickly. "I see you received your father's present, though. That dress suits you well. You look very beautiful tonight."

Rei lowered her eyes, but not because of the compliment, although it did cause her to blush very faintly. "I won't be deceived by this dress," she said softly. "Don't lie for him. I know it was you who bought me this dress and the flowers. This year, as well as last. Thank you for the lovely gifts."

"You knew?" Kaidou asked, though he didn't seem very surprised. Instead, he looked almost sorrowful. "I'm sorry. Hino-sama has been very busy these last few weeks and hasn't had time to shop, so he asked me to choose your birthday gifts."

"It's okay. Otou-sama hasn't thought importantly of his family for a long time. He always has one of his assistants or his secretary do his gift shopping. I'm used to it."

"He has?"

Rei smiled ruefully. "Yes, well, my father has more important things to do than waste his time at the mall."

Hearing that, a frown crossed Kaidou's lips. Rei sensed something was bothering him. Usually whenever she said something less than flattering about her father, Kaidou was the first to defend him. She was expecting him to say something along the lines of "At least he cares enough to ask somebody to buy the gifts for him," but this time, he remained strangely silent, his emerald green eyes lost in thought.

"Kaidou-san?"

Startled, her dinner companion jumped a little in his chair, then laughed, embarrassed by his pensive behavior. "Oh, sorry. I blanked out there for a second, didn't I? I guess I have a lot on my mind tonight."

"Like what?" she asked, a little curious.

Kaidou shook his head, shrugging it off as nothing. "You wouldn't be interested, Rei-chan. It's about my career, and I know you don't like talking about politics."

That was true enough. She tended to avoid the subject at all costs, finding it about as interesting as taking a math test, and twice as painful. However, if something was bothering Kaidou, then Rei wanted to help him. He was always there to help her; it would be nice to be able to help him for a change. "Tell me anyway.".

"Are you sure? It's your birthday. I don't want to bore you with my problems."

"I don't mind. Go on."

Kaidou took a sip of his champagne before explaining his preoccupation. "Well, I suppose you should probably know your father has decided that he won't run for reelection as the governor of metropolitan Tokyo. That's why he wasn't able to come tonight. Hino-sama is holding a press conference to announce that he plans to run for a Diet seat in the '94 elections."

"A Diet seat?" Rei was a little surprised by the news, but not completely. It was only a matter of time before her father took the next logical step into national politics. "What does that have to do with you, though, Kaidou-san? Are you afraid you're going to lose your job when he leaves office? Because you know the next election is almost three years away…"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," he said, interrupting her with a small smile to reassure her. "Quite the opposite, actually. Your father has big plans for me."

"Oh," Rei said in a soft whisper, suddenly realizing what he was saying. Her hands twisted the linen napkin in her lap, and she glanced downwards, unable to meet his gaze. "You're going to enter the same political world as otou-sama, aren't you? Everybody says you're his successor."

His shoulders slumped as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his back, Kaidou exhaled. "I haven't decided yet, Rei-chan," he admitted. "Hino-sama thinks I should, and I know it would please my family. It would be a great opportunity to advance my career…"

"But?" she asked, sensing there was something else. "What's the problem?"

"I don't know. I guess in some ways, I'm still an irresponsible teenager. I can't convince myself that I'm an adult, so I don't think I'm fit for a life in politics - not now, in such a high-profile position. Perhaps someday in the distant future."

"I thought a life in politics was what you wanted, though. Wasn't that your dream? To serve the people and make a difference in their lives? That's what you always told me."

"Yes, that is my dream. At least, I think it is."

"It's a very noble dream, Kaidou-san."

"But will it ultimately make me happy? Or will it only bring pain and misery to me and the people I care about? I mean, I look at you and see how much your father has hurt you over the years. I'm sure Hino-sama doesn't mean to do so, but it doesn't change the fact that he does. I don't want my daughter to be unhappy."

"You're not like him, though," Rei insisted. "To my father, there was nothing but politics. His work consumed him, and even when my mother died, he could think of nothing else." Unconsciously, her hand grasped the ruby pendant dangling from the gold chain around her neck, and her eyes darkened as she continued. "Okaa-sama was a frail person. She was born with a weak heart, yet it was capable of such love. She loved otou-sama so much."

"Rei-chan…"

She barely heard him, wrapped up in the memories of her early childhood. "I used to believe in otou-sama," Rei continued. "I was proud when people called me Governor Hino-sama's daughter and told me about all the wonderful things he had done for the city. But okaa-sama always looked so sad. She believed in him, too, and all he ever did was disappoint her. You can't have faith in people, Kaidou-san. They'll always disappoint you."

"Do you really mean that, Rei-chan?" he asked. "What about your grandfather or your other friends?"

Rei scoffed. "Friends? What friends? You saw what happened at the school yesterday with Tanaka-san. I have no friends, and I don't want any. In the end, the only person you can depend on is yourself."

"But don't you want to marry someday?"

"No, I'll never allow myself to fall in love," she declared. "If I fell in love, I would want that person to belong only to me, and I know that's wrong, so I'll never marry. I'm perfectly happy to be alone." She paused and lowered her gaze. "What about you, Kaidou-san? Do you want to marry and have a family?"

"To be honest, I haven't really ever thought about it," he admitted. "Marriage is a huge commitment, and I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to marry. I like things the way they are now, depending on myself, like you said."

"We're the same, you and me. Kindred spirits."

Rei smiled. She liked the sound of that: kindred spirits. They were the same, two parts of one soul, bonded over their common backgrounds and mutual views on love. She realized Kaidou was the only person who truly understood her. Not even her grandfather or Minoru could really understand her, though they certainly did try.

Kaidou was the only one, and it made her heart flutter in happiness.

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By the time Kaidou arrived home from the restaurant, it was already well past ten o'clock. He'd gone for a long drive after seeing Rei off in her father's limo, hoping to clear his mind of his problems, but it hadn't done much good. He still had no idea what he was going to do.

Before the meeting with the governor, the pressure of his family had always been invisible - always there, but subtle. It had been easy to ignore it, to put off making a final decision until later, but yesterday's discussion with Keitaro had brought it to the forefront of his mind, and he couldn't forget it. Kaidou knew he would have to make a decision about his future soon, but what path to choose? Did he really want to become a politician, as his family and Keitaro hoped he would, and run for the governor's office? Or was he destined to take a different course?

The talk with Rei at dinner had only served to depress him even more. He never would have guessed that there was such anguish under her calm, precocious exterior. The view she had presented of her father that night surprised him. After looking up to the man for so long as an intelligent and efficient politician, the portrayal of Hino Keitaro as an uncaring, selfish man had disturbed Kaidou more than he wanted to admit and made his decision all the more confusing to decide. It was enough to make his head spin.

Sighing heavily, Kaidou got out of the car and headed to the door of his parents' palatial house. He still lived at home in a suite of rooms in the west wing he rented from his parents. It was almost as good as having his own place without having to go through the trouble of finding an apartment in overcrowded Tokyo. He didn't bother them, and for the most part, they didn't bother him.

"I'm home," Kaidou called out when he entered the house, not expecting anybody to answer. His mother liked to go to bed early, and his father, if not working late at the office, was usually busy in his study. However, Kaidou was surprised to see light coming from the direction of the living room.

"Ace-kun, is that you?" his father asked, his head popping around the entryway. Seeing his son, Kaidou Taro cleared his throat and nodded in acknowledgement. "Good, we were wondering where you were."

Kaidou frowned, slipping off his shoes at the door and switching to his favorite pair of brown slippers. "You were, otou-sama?" he asked, not accustomed to his concern. "I told you I was going to be at _The Rain Tree_. Today was Rei-chan's birthday."

"Yes, but we were expecting you home about an hour ago."

"I'm sorry, I decided to take a drive before coming home," the younger Kaidou answered. "I didn't think it would be a problem. Why? Is something wrong? Has something happened to okaa-sama or the girls? Ojii-sama?"

His father shook his head. "No, everyone is alive and well, Ace-kun," he said. "However, your mother and I would like to have a word with you, if you don't mind. Come."

Wordlessly, he followed the distinguished older man into the living room, wondering why his parents wanted to talk to him. For a moment, he felt as if he was sixteen again and had just been caught sneaking in the house after a night of partying with his friends. He resented that feeling. If his parents had wanted to talk to him so badly, then why hadn't they paged him at the restaurant instead of making him feel as if he was in the wrong for making them wait?

"Hello, okaa-sama," he said with a small nod, acknowledging the woman sitting on the couch. She was middle-aged and pleasantly plump after giving birth to three children, but many would still consider her attractive, with a mass of curly auburn hair and emerald green eyes, a trait she had passed on to Kaidou.

Kaidou Ruri gave her only son a smile and set aside the fashion magazine she had been reading. "Hello, Ace-kun," she greeted him. "Did you and Rei-san have a nice dinner?"

"Yes, ma'am. We had a wonderful time. The food was delicious."

"Nothing less from _The Rain Tree_. They always have the best meals. You know, Taro-san, we should have dinner there one day next week. It's been forever since we've gone out, only the two of us."

Over from the enormous leather armchair in the corner of the room where he had taken a seat to light his tobacco pipe, his father cleared his throat. "Ruri-san…" he scolded, effectively putting an end to the unnecessary small talk. Once he was satisfied his wife would remain quiet until prompted to speak, he then looked over at his son and motioned toward the couch with his smoking pipe. "Ace-kun, have a seat."

Fiddling nervously with his tie, Kaidou sat down on the sofa beside his mother. He still had no idea why his parents wanted to speak to him. His mind reeled with possibilities. His rent for the month had been paid, so he knew it couldn't be that. There was that speeding ticket he'd gotten a couple weeks ago, but he thought he'd taken care of that already. What else could there be?

Finally, unable to take the expectant silence any longer, Kaidou turned to Ruri, the far less threatening of the two, and asked, "What did you want to discuss with me?"

"We heard the announcement Hino-sama gave at the press conference, Ace-kun," his father informed him before his mother could answer. "He said he doesn't plan to run for another term as governor. Is that correct?"

Kaidou let out the breath he had unconsciously been holding. They wanted to talk to him about his career. He should have known politics would be the subject of discussion. Of course, he would have liked to have more time to go over what he planned to say to his father concerning the governor's offer, but with Kaidou Taro, patience was not a virtue. His father did not like to be kept waiting, and he doubted this time would be any different.

"Yes, sir," he answered, squaring back his shoulders. "Hino-sama plans to run for a Diet seat once his term as governor is completed."

"It's about time." The older man took a long puff from his pipe, the smoke wrapping around his head and shoulders and giving the politician a rather sinister appearance. "I've long held the opinion that Hino-sama would be an excellent addition to the Diet. It's good to see he has finally taken the initiative."

Kaidou nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is. He will make a wonderful Diet member."

"That he will. However, since Hino-sama is leaving office, that means the race for governor will be wide open. It is a great opportunity for an up-and-coming politician to make a name for himself, don't you agree, Ace-kun?"

"Yes, otou-sama," Kaidou said quietly, already knowing what question would next come out of his father's mouth.

He was not disappointed. His father leaned back in his chair, trying to look casual and failing miserably, and asked, "Have you given any thought to running for the governor's seat?"

Though he was expecting the inquiry about his future plans, Kaidou still was uncertain as to how to answer that question. The usually spacious living room suddenly felt claustrophobic, the walls of his future seeming to close in around him, and he wished nothing more than to run away, perhaps to take another long drive in his car. Nagano was probably beautiful this time of year. But at the same time, Kaidou knew it was pointless to fantasize about running away, and he loudly exhaled, figuring he might as well get the dreaded conversation over with.

"Some," he admitted truthfully. "Hino-sama and I discussed the possibility yesterday. He offered to be my mentor if I decided to run for office."

Hearing that, his father smiled, pleased. "He has selected you as his successor? We suspected as much. Your grandfather told us the governor was considering taking you under his wing. That's great news, Ace-kun. It is time you began thinking about -."

"Otou-sama, I didn't accept the offer," Kaidou interrupted before he could become too excited. "At least, not as of yet."

Sitting quietly, Kaidou could practically see the anger burning like a raging fire in his father's dark black eyes at his announcement. The older man rarely lost his temper, but when he did, it was not a pretty sight. Closing his eyes, the younger man mentally prepared himself for the backlash that was about to surface.

And surface it did, like a volcano spewing forth hot lava and ash.

"What? Why the hell not?" his father asked, banging his fist hard enough on the nearby end table to cause some of the brandy to splash over the lip of his crystal glass and spill across the wooden surface.

Beside Kaidou on the couch, Ruri jumped up, startled by her husband's sudden outburst. "Taro-san, your blood pressure…" she cautioned.

"Sit down and stay out of this, Ruri-san!" her husband ordered. "I don't give a damn about my blood pressure. This is between me and Ace-kun."

The voluptuous woman meekly squeaked out an apology and sat back down on the couch with her son, who immediately felt sorry for his poor mother.

His parents' marriage was not what most would call a happy one. It had been arranged by his grandfathers, both powerful politicians who thought it would be good for his father's political career, and from what Kaidou witnessed during his twenty-five years of life, he suspected neither of the participants had liked the idea very much. It was no secret to him that their marriage was one based on politics, and not love. They hadn't even slept in the same bedroom since his youngest sister was born nine years ago. Gossip in political circles was that his father had a mistress, some comely political aide, but nothing was ever proven. Discretion was all in the political world, and if there was one thing a politician learned young, it was how to cover his tracks, in business and pleasure.

It made Kaidou's stomach churn in disgust. He couldn't believe how blind he had been. Was this what he had to look forward to if he decided to follow his father's wishes and run for governor? Was this what the governor meant when he said 'the dream was better than the reality'?

His hands clenched, Kaidou stared straight at his father, a rare streak of courage coming over him. "Otou-sama," he said in a firm, but quiet, voice, "I didn't say I refused the offer; I only said I didn't accept it. I told Hino-sama I needed some time to think about it before I made my final decision on the matter, and he agreed."

That didn't seem to appease his father, though he did lean back in his chair and sighed, his temper, for the moment, in check. The older man began massaging his temple, evidently nursing the beginnings of a headache brought on by their argument. "More time? You shouldn't need time to think about this, Ace-kun. You know it is our wish for you to run for public office, and this is the perfect opportunity. You'd be a fool not to accept Hino-sama's kind offer of assistance."

"But what if it isn't my wish? What if I don't want to become governor of Tokyo?"

"It doesn't matter, son," his father said. "As a member of this family, there are certain expectations placed upon you, and we do expect you to live up to them."

"Even if it means my own unhappiness?" Kaidou asked bitterly. "Tell me, otou-sama, are you happy with your life in politics? Or did your father force you into that life as you are forcing me?"

His father, shocked by his questions, narrowed his dark eyes at his son. "I don't see how this is relevant to our convers-"

"It has everything to do with our conversation," he interrupted for the second time, growing braver with every passing moment. "There was a time when, yes, I did want to follow in ojii-sama's and Hino-sama's footsteps, and a part of me still does. They did wonderful things for the Tokyo metropolitan area, and I would be proud if I could accomplish even a fraction of what they did. However, is either of them really happy with their lives? Ojii-sama, with his three wives? Hino-sama, with a wife dead at twenty-seven and a daughter he rarely sees? Or how about even you? Are you satisfied being in a loveless marriage and screwing college interns?"

"Ace-kun!" his mother admonished, gasping at the accusation of her husband's infidelity.

His father, on the other hand, didn't say much of anything at all. The guilty look on his face as he turned away from the two of them said everything his lying words could not.

So the rumors were true then. On some level, Kaidou supposed he always knew they were, but until that moment, he had refused to believe his father was an adulterer. No matter what their differences might have been in the past, he had always loved and respected Kaidou Taro, believing him to be an honorable man.

But now…

"You make me sick."

The statement, spoken softly but impossibly loud in the sudden quiet of the living room, hung over them like a storm cloud. His mother was too stunned by what she had learned to speak, her green eyes wide and her right hand pressed over her bountiful chest, and his father merely hung his head in shame, no longer the proud man he was only a few minutes ago.

Kaidou was ashamed of himself, regretting what he had said. Even if Kaidou Taro was a lying cheat, he was still his father, and Kaidou had no right to attack him like that, nor did he have the right to shame his mother.

"I'm sorry, okaa-sama," Kaidou apologized, reaching for the hand resting on her knee. "I shouldn't have said that. I was angry and I didn't think it was true…"

Ruri shook her head. "No, you have nothing for which to apologize, Ace-kun," she said softly before turning her hurt gaze on her philandering husband. "Taro-san, is it true? Is what our son says the truth?"

Her voice trembled, but she had never seemed more strong in her son's eyes.

After a few moments of silence, his father slowly nodded his head. "Yes, it is true, Ruri-san," he admitted, vocally confirming what they already knew.

"I-I can't believe it…" she whispered, her hand covering her mouth as if she was about to be sick.

"I'm sorry."

"Is that all you can say, otou-sama?" Kaidou asked in disbelief. "You're sorry?"

"What do you expect me to say, Ace-kun?" his father shot back, looking back up at his son. "I know I've made mistakes. I never claimed I was perfect."

"Maybe not, but -"

"Ace-kun, I think you should leave. You've said more than enough tonight. We'll continue our conversation in the morning."

Standing up from his seat, Kaidou bowed. "I think that's a good idea," he agreed. "Good night, okaa-sama…otou-sama."


	10. Flames Of Passion, Part II

Two weeks later was the annual fundraiser for the Liberal Democratic Party. The dinner would be held at the Keio Plaza InterContinental Hotel and was to be an elegant black-tie affair attended by the party's most powerful and influential politicians, as well as their most generous contributors. As one of those so-called "powerful and influential" politicians, Keitaro was, of course, expected to be there.

And yet, on the ride over to the hotel, the governor of Tokyo was seriously considering asking Ogata to stop and turn the car right back around toward the manor. He wasn't in the mood to socialize, wanting nothing more than to go home and perhaps read the biography of former Prime Minister Ohira Masayoshi he had bought a few months ago and never found the time to read. The only thing that held him back from doing so was the promise he had made to Negishi to introduce his grandson to Nozumo's socialite daughter in part of the older man's insane plan to find Kaidou a wife.

Thinking of that, Keitaro shook his head. He should never have agreed to this whole matchmaking scheme of Negishi's. It had disaster written all over it. If neither Negishi nor Kaidou's parents had any success finding the young man a suitable bride, then he failed to see how he could do any better. He was hardly an expert on love. If it was a matchmaker they wanted, then he should have given them Minoru's phone number. His friend obviously still fancied himself Cupid as evident by the phone call he had received earlier that day, asking Keitaro if he would like him to find him a date for the evening.

Of course, Keitaro had said "no" to the offer as always. It wasn't the first time Minoru offered to set him up on a blind date, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Keitaro knew his friend meant well, but Minoru should have guessed by now that he had no interest in dating again, and he doubted that he'd change his mind any time soon. He hadn't so much as looked at another woman as more than a friend or colleague since his wife's death.

Perhaps that was part of the reason why he wasn't looking forward to the dinner. The fundraiser would be attended by plenty of successful, single women, and some would undoubtedly try to catch his attention. They had kept a respectful distance for the first couple of years after Takara's death, giving him time to grieve and recover from his tragic lost, but now he was apparently fair game, especially since that article about Tokyo's most eligible bachelors came out a couple of months ago. How he ever ended up on the list was beyond Keitaro's comprehension, but he was far from flattered.

"I should have sued that magazine when I had the chance," he mumbled to himself, leaning his forehead against the glass of his window as he blankly watched the lights of Tokyo pass by in a blur.

Why were people so obsessed with love, sex, and marriage anyway? His almost solitary life suited Keitaro just fine. People like Minoru were fools, wasting their lives on an emotion that would, in the end, only cause them pain and suffering. There were no "happy ever afters" in the real world. Things like that only happened in fairy tales.

Of course, there was once a time he had been as willing as Minoru to believe in love. Once he had wanted his own "happy ever after," but he had been fooling himself. Takara's death had clearly shown Keitaro that he was meant to live alone. People said love was the greatest emotion on earth, but those people had never seen its darker side.

Keitaro sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, he supposed Negishi was right all along with this idea of finding his grandson a suitable bride. If he had to get married, Kaidou would be better off in the long run with a girl he didn't really love, especially if he intended to pursue a career in politics. All he needed was an attractive wife who would give him a good image and support. The idea was hardly romantic, but there was no room for romance in politics.

"Hino-sama?"

At the sound of Ogata's voice, the governor blinked and lifted his head from the window, noticing they had stopped in front of the hotel. People dressed in elegant clothes were making their way inside, and the faint sound of music coming from the outdoor orchestra in the gardens could be heard in the air, mingling with fake laughter and heated debates.

 _Well, I might as well get this over with before I change my mind_ , Keitaro thought blandly as the chauffeur opened the back door.

He mentally braced himself for the evening, and then, with a final tug to straighten his bowtie, Keitaro stepped out of the car, forcing a somewhat charming grin on his face as he saw a pretty woman wearing next to nothing nod in his direction before heading inside.

Inwardly, though, he sighed.

It was definitely going to be a long night.

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Meanwhile, inside the hotel's spacious dining hall, the Kaidou family had already arrived and had taken their seats at the table of honor in the front of room. So far, they were the only ones there, with Keitaro and Nozumo Mareo having yet to make an appearance with their other tablemates. It was a highly uncomfortable wait, for Kaidou and his father still weren't on speaking terms. The elder Kaidou, unable to take the frosty silence, left almost as soon as they were seated in order to make his rounds and greet all the important people, and his son sighed in relief.

"Ace-kun, will you at least try to look like you're having a good time?" his mother asked once her husband left, noticing the bored look on his face as Kaidou drummed his fingers on the table. "You know your father told you this a golden opportunity to start campaigning for a nomination."

Kaidou frowned, repeating the same thing he had told her right before they left for the hotel. No matter how many times he told her, his mother seemed determined not to think about it. "Okaa-sama, I told you I made my decision. I'm going to tell Hino-sama tonight that I will not seek a career in politics and that I plan to go to law school."

"I wish you wouldn't, though," she said for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. "Tonight's a big night, honey. It's not a good idea. Surely your announcement can wait until a more opportune time. I don't want Taro-san to make a huge scene when he hears what you've decided. Can't you at least pretend to be interested in running for one more night? You can tell Hino-sama the news Monday morning."

Kaidou shook his head. "No, I need to tell him tonight," he insisted. "The sooner, the better. Believe me."

He had been pretending for long enough as it was. In reality, Kaidou had already made his decision not to run for the governor's seat the night of Rei's birthday dinner, when he had learned of his father's infidelities and lies. That night had been a turning point in his life, allowing him to see his world in a completely different light. Finally, the rose-colored glasses had come off, and he realized that a life in politics was not what he wanted.

Kaidou didn't know what had taken him so long to come to that decision. He had known for a long time what politics did to people, and yet he vacillated, thinking even if he had to play the game, it would be worth it in the end to make a difference in people's lives. But he realized now the stakes were too high. He wasn't willing to make the types of sacrifices that had come as second nature to the governor, his grandfather, and even his father.

However, it wasn't until today that Kaidou finally found the courage to reveal the truth to his parents. His mother had taken it better than he expected. She had even been the one to suggest he get his law degree and set up a practice representing disadvantage families, knowing how deeply he felt about social injustice. But his father wouldn't even listen to him, still angry with his son for betraying him to his wife. Kaidou Taro was completely in the dark as to his future plans, believing, even after all that had happened, that Kaidou would still pursue a career in politics. That was why Ruri was worried about her husband's reaction when he heard the news.

"Taro-san's not going to like this," she warned. "You know how he feels about you running for public office and continuing our family's legacy."

"Yes, well, I couldn't care less about continuing the 'family' legacy," Kaidou replied, purposely exaggerating the word "family." They weren't a family anymore, only a group of people who happened to have the last name and live in the same house. "Not after what he did to you."

His mother placed a comforting hand over his, giving it a light squeeze. Her green eyes, so much like his own, were pleading with him to change his mind. "I know your father did a horrible thing by having those affairs, but I forgave him for the sake of our family, Ace-kun. Why can't you?"

"Because I refuse to live a lie, okaa-sama! Maybe you can, but I can't. I can't stand all these pretensions anymore. I was willing to accept the fact that you two didn't really love each other, but otou-sama went too far when he broke his marriage vows. I thought he was an honorable man¦"

Pulling his hand away from his mother's, Kaidou turned his face away from her, not wanting her to see the disappointment in his eyes. Instead, he searched the steadily thickening crowds for his boss, wanting to get the whole thing over with before he lost his courage.

He saw Keitaro enter the dining room a few seconds later, a charismatic smile on his face as he spoke to a young, wealthy widow who was known to be very generous with her late husband's money with the right amount of flattery and attention. Even from his seat across the room, though, Kaidou could tell the governor wasn't enjoying himself, his eyes focusing everywhere except the attractive woman and her considerable assets. On one hand, Kaidou was impressed. It took a strong man not to be seduced by a pretty face and a knock-out body. However, on the other hand, it was obvious that Keitaro was only putting on an act, and in some ways that disappointed him more than if the governor actually had been flirting with the woman now clinging to his arm.

Everything was an act in this world, even his idol, it seemed.

Standing from his chair, Kaidou thought he might as well go rescue his boss from his boredom and tell him about his decision. As it turned out, though, Keitaro had spotted him around the same time and managed to politely excuse himself from his companion's presence before making his way over to their table. He greeted the both of them warmly, giving what looked to be his first genuine smile of the evening.

"Good evening, Kaidou-kun," Keitaro said. "I'm glad you could come tonight. There are some people I want you to meet who I believe will be quite beneficial to your career."

"My career?" Kaidou repeated. "Um, that's very kind of you, Hino-sama, but I was hoping we could talk about what we discussed the other day in your office before you begin the introductions."

"You mean about the elections?"

Kaidou nodded. "Yes, I've made my final decision on your offer," he said, ignoring the pleading look on his mother's face. He decided that perhaps it would be better for him to reveal the news away from prying eyes and tilted his head in the direction of the gardens. "May we talk in private, sir?"

Keitaro seemed surprised, his left eyebrow raised in a perfect arch, but he didn't refuse the request. Stepping aside, he allowed Kaidou to lead the way. "Of course, Kaidou-kun."

Hoping he wouldn't lose his nerve, Kaidou took in a deep breath and stepped forward in the direction of the gardens. Unfortunately, as they were about to leave the table, they were suddenly joined by a group of men, two of them being his father and Nozumo Mareo, who Kaidou recognized from television but had never met. Their appearance made it all but impossible for him to speak to the governor privately, and Kaidou swore under his breath.

"Hino-san, good evening," Nozumo greeted him. "We were wondering where you were. You must have snuck in while we were having that delightful debate over benefit fraud."

The others laughed at what apparently was a very hilarious joke that only Kaidou failed to understand. "I'm sorry I missed that, sir," Keitaro said, chuckling as well, his laughter seeming a little more forced than the others.

"Yes, indeed." Smiling, the head of the Liberal Democratic Party took a sip of his champagne before he turned his attention on Kaidou, noticing he was there for the first time when he tried to quietly excuse himself from the group for some fresh air. "Is this the young man you've been telling me so much about these last couple of weeks, Hino-san?" he asked. "The one you would like to succeed you as governor once your final term is complete?"

Kaidou froze in place, unsure of what to say or do in light of that revelation. His boss had already told Nozumo he planned to run for governor of Tokyo come next election year? He had thought their conversation would remain confidential, at least until he made a final decision whether or not he would run. The fact that other people knew would make it much more difficult to refuse. His father would certainly make a scene if he decided to reveal his decision now.

Keitaro, who seemed to notice his distress, cleared his throat. "Yes, this is my top assistant, Kaidou Ace-kun," he said, introducing Kaidou to the president. "He has been considering running for my office once I leave, but I don't believe he has given me his final decision on the matter."

"Kaidou Ace-kun?" Nozumo rubbed his chin, giving Kaidou the once over. "You're here Kaidou-san's son, aren't you?"

"Y-Yes, Nozumo-sama," Kaidou answered, though he refused to return the small smile of approval his father gave him.

Nozumo offered his hand in the Western manner for a handshake. "Well, then, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kaidou-kun. If you are anything like your father, I'm sure you will make a fine politician one day."

"It's nice to meet you, too, sir," he said. Kaidou wisely didn't comment on the remark about his father and his possible future career, deciding perhaps his mother was right when she suggested he keep quiet about his plans until later. He could always reveal his decision after dinner. After all, there was no point in ruining everybody's evening before it began.

After the rest of the introductions had been made, everyone took their seats at the table as dinner was about to be served and they were all famished. However, one seat at the table, coincidentally beside Kaidou, was empty. Curious as to whom was missing from their party, he took a short peak at the elegant name card propped up on the table and saw the name Nozumo Yuri printed across it in gold. Nozumo's wife, perhaps?

Nozumo, who noticed him looking at the card, grinned. "Ah, my daughter seems to be running late as usual," he said good-naturedly, answering Kaidou's unasked question. "Yuri should be here soon. She went to the powder room to fix her face, and you know how that is!"

"I'm sorry, Papa," an unfamiliar girlish voice apologized. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. The lines were long, and it took forever."

The voice came from behind him, and Kaidou couldn't help but look over his shoulder at the new arrival, holding back a gasp. There was only one word that came to mind when he saw Nozumo Yuri for the first time: beautiful.

She wore a one-shouldered yellow evening gown, loose and flowing but still showing off the shape of her body, and dangling canary yellow diamond earrings, which danced playfully in the light when she moved her head. Her hair, the color of sunshine, was piled on top of her head in a mass of curly ringlets, some which fell and framed her perfect face. Cerulean blue eyes seemed to glow like sapphires against the white silk of her skin, and her full red lips were curled into flirtatious smile. She was the very embodiment of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love.

For a moment, Kaidou could do nothing but stare at the goddess, his mouth dry and his body unwilling to cooperate with the orders his brain was giving it. Then he felt his mother lightly kick his leg under the table, and Kaidou suddenly remembered his manners, standing to pull Yuri's chair out from underneath the table so she could sit down. "Here, let me get that for you."

"Thank you," she said, taking her seat. Her smile brightened, and Kaidou could have sworn she winked at him, probably knowing exactly what he was thinking at the moment - the exact same thing every other unattached man (and a few who were) in the room was thinking. Yuri knew she was beautiful, and she didn't appear to mind the attention.

Yuri's father nodded his head approvingly as Kaidou sat back down in his own seat, which now seemed impossibly close to Yuri's. "Kaidou-kun, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Yuri," Nozumo said, introducing them while a waiter began serving the first course. "Yuri, this is Hino-san's assistant, Kaidou Ace-kun. He's considering running for the governor's seat of Tokyo when Hino-san vacates the office in '94."

"The governor's seat?" Yuri repeated. "I'm impressed. It's an honor to meet you, Kaidou-san."

Kaidou fiddled with his bowtie in lieu of his usual necktie and hoped he wasn't blushing like some lowly high school boy talking to the head cheerleader as he feared. That was certainly not the kind of first impression he wanted to make, especially not in front of the most beautiful woman in the world. "Y-Yes, it's nice to meet you, too, Nozumo-san."

Unable to think of anything else to say, he quickly bowed his head and turned his attention to the Caesar salad sitting in front of him. On the outside, he appeared to be the perfect picture of a calm, collected gentleman, but on the inside, he was silently cursing himself with a vocabulary no real gentleman would dare to say aloud.

_She probably thinks you're a complete and total loser, Ace. Real smooth. First you stare at her like a drooling idiot while she waits for you to pull out her chair, and then all you can do is blush when she tries to start a conversation with you. You are an idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot!_

What was wrong with him, anyway? Kaidou thought he got over the whole being scared of girls thing in junior high. He was twenty-five years old, for crying out loud! Sure, no one would ever mistake him for being a ladies' man, but he usually had no problem talking to members of the fairer sex. Then again, none of the girls he'd met could hold a candle to Aphrodite in the flesh.

Unable to help himself, Kaidou snuck another peek at the goddess beside him, even more struck by her beauty than before. She was chuckling at another one of her father's notoriously unfunny jokes, her laughter soft and melodic, and her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. Though he only meant to look for a minute, Kaidou was entranced and continued staring at her until Keitaro, who sat directly across the table from him, discreetly cleared his throat to get his assistant's attention.

"If you want her to notice you, then talk to her," the governor said quietly, not even bothering to look up from his salad.

Nobody else at the table appeared to have heard him. They were too engrossed in their own individual conversations to notice. In fact, Kaidou wasn't sure he himself had heard correctly. The sentence was said in such a soft voice, he had to resort to reading lips.

"Hino-sama?"

Keitaro raised his eyes at the inquiry and sighed. "Talk to her, Kaidou-kun," he repeated in a slightly louder voice. "There's a reason why you were seated next to Nozumo-san."

Kaidou frowned, not getting the meaning behind his boss's words. He'd suffered under people's (namely his mother's and grandfather's) misguided matchmaking intentions before, but Hino Keitaro didn't strike him as the type of man who liked to get involved in other people's romantic affairs. "What do you mean, sir? Like fate?"

Though his gray eyes looked somewhat cloudy, Keitaro gave him a small smile. "I suppose you could say that. Just talk to her."

"About what?"

The governor shrugged his shoulders. "About anything. Art, music, literature, politics - whatever interests you. You'll do fine, Kaidou-kun."

Kaidou bit his bottom lip as the governor returned his attention back to his dinner, signaling the end of his pep talk. Keitaro's suggestions for topics of conversation were good, but the only subject in which he had a fair amount of knowledge was politics, and that was the absolute last thing he wanted to discuss tonight. He was so sickened with the entire subject that just the thought of talking about it made him ill to the stomach.

Why was is so hard for him to start one simple, innocent conversation with a beautiful girl? If only Keitaro could be his Cyrano, feeding him lines that would be sure to impress Yuri. The governor always knew what to say in every type of situation. Keitaro would never freeze up like a statue as he had. Annoyed with his inability to talk to Yuri, Kaidou propped his head on the table with his elbow and sighed, for the moment not caring how many etiquette rules he happened to be breaking.

"This is hopeless!"

The thought was only supposed to be in his head, but much to his embarrassment, he realized he must have voiced the thought aloud as well, for Yuri turned toward him with an amused looked etched across her perfect features.

"What's hopeless, Kaidou-san, if you don't mind me asking?" the goddess asked with a smile that suggested she had a good idea of what it was.

Determined not to let a second opportunity pass him by, Kaidou said the first thing that came to mind. "Um..."

_Oh, yes, that was brilliant!_

Yuri raised an eyebrow in his direction at the blush he was sure had crawled up his neck. Kaidou couldn't tell if she was annoyed or simply amused with his complete lack of social skills, but he knew if he didn't think of anything intelligent to say quick, what might have been amusement would certainly turn to annoyance. He quickly racked his brains for anything, anything at all, to say to her to cover up his embarrassment.

"Are you as bored as I am?" he finally blurted out, cringing when he realized what he said. "I mean, I don't mean you're boring. Forgive me. I'm sure you are probably very interesting, Nozumo-san. I meant this dinner's boring. It's not your fault. I didn't want to come tonight. I've never felt very comfortable at these kind of functions, and recent circumstances have made things even more unpleasant..."

Realizing he probably sounded like an absolute idiot, Kaidou stopped his rambling and bit his lip, certain he had blown his chances with the goddess with that horrible display of stupidity. However, he was surprised to hear a beautiful laugh.

"And here I was afraid you'd bore me with your plans for the future or some kind of pathetic excuse of a pick-up line," Yuri exclaimed. "That's the most refreshing thing I've heard all evening!" She leaned closer, cupping a hand to cover her mouth, and Kaidou bent slightly to his left as the woman whispered in his ear. "The truth is, I'm bored out of my skull. These things always bore me, too."

"Really?" he asked, surprised by her confession. "But you seem to be enjoying yourself."

"Oh, come now, Kaidou-san! I've grown up in a political family just as you have. I learned at an early age, as I am sure you must have also, how to smile and seem interested even if I wished I were a thousand miles away. Everyone here is so stuffy. The women only care about clothes and gossip, and all the men do is debate politics and brag about their latest conquests when they aren't trying to make eyes at me when they think Papa isn't looking." Yuri rolled her eyes in exasperation. "It's no fun being treated like a piece of meat."

Kaidou had the decency to blush. What she must have thought of his blatant stares! "I'm sorry, Nozumo-san. Please forgive me."

She giggled. "Oh, I wasn't talking about you, Kaidou-san. I was rather flattered by your fascination with me. At least you were staring at my face and not at... Well, the other places men usually find so interesting. I'm sure we both know what those are."

Kaidou was both stunned and enchanted by her frankness. Yuri was not at all fake or superficial, and she seemed to be a kindred spirit in a room filled with paper people.

For a moment, those words made him pause. Kindred spirit - where had he heard that before? But Kaidou soon brushed the seemingly pointless thought aside, forgetting everything except the goddess beside him as they continued to talk during dinner.

"Oh, I love this piece!" Yuri said as the strains of a beautiful waltz reached their ears from the gardens after they finished eating the last course. She stood and held out her hand to Kaidou in invitation. "Let's dance, Kaidou-san."

"I don't know, Nozumo-san," he said doubtfully, watching as a few nearby couples, including his parents (who were probably trying to show they were still a "happily" married couple), stood and began heading toward the gardens. "I'm not exactly Fred Astaire."

Kaidou never considered himself much of a dancer, even with the three years of ballroom dancing lessons his mother forced him to attend when he was a young boy. He knew the steps well enough, but he could never truly relax.

"Don't be silly. I'm sure you're a wonderful dancer," Yuri insisted, boldly taking both his hands and pulling him out of his chair. "I won't take 'no' for an answer."

"Nozumo-san..."

Ignoring his half-hearted protestations, Yuri continued pulling him toward the gardens, giving Kaidou no choice but to follow her, a smile on his face even in the face of uncertain humiliation in front of his peers and colleagues. It was difficult to say "no" to Nozumo Yuri. He had a feeling that had she asked him to strip to his boxers and sing _Figaro_ at the top of his lungs, he would have done it in a heartbeat. She had him completely under her spell.

"Wow, isn't it beautiful out tonight?" Yuri asked breathlessly, taking his arm as they stepped outside.

Kaidou nodded in agreement, taking in their surroundings. The gardens were gorgeous. Chinese lanterns had been strung around the area, their gentle golden light lending an enchanted air to the beautiful layout and the people who were already dancing, and night jasmine was prominent, the white blooms glowing in the dusk like candles as their intoxicating perfume wove itself around the young couple. Kaidou grinned, suddenly inspired.

"Not as beautiful as you, though," he said.

Immediately, he regretted the cheesiness of the compliment, but Yuri giggled, leaning her head against his arm. "You're so sweet, Kaidou-san."

It took all Kaidou's self-restraint not to reach over and pinch himself right then and there for fear it was just a dream. If it was a dream, he had no desire to wake from it.

The two eventually made their way to the center of the gardens, right in front of the small orchestra. Kaidou felt a little self-conscious as Yuri stepped in front of him and intimately wrapped her slender arms around his neck, but he let natural instinct take over, his hands somehow finding their way to the small of her back. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and soon, he forgot all about the other couples dancing around them, lost in sweet smell of rose water in her hair.

"See, you're a wonderful dancer, Fred," Yuri said, lifting up her head so he could see the beauty of her deep blue eyes. "I don't understand why you were so worried, silly! You're a natural."

"Only because I have you for a partner, Ginger," he replied.

"Don't be so modest!"

"I'm not being modest; I'm being truthful."

"Well, then, you don't give yourself enough credit, because I happen to think you're the best dance partner I've ever had."

Kaidou rolled his eyes at the compliment. It was becoming evident that Yuri was a world-class flirt, but he couldn't say he minded very much. After all, what man didn't like to have his ego stroked every once in a while?

"And you, Nozumo-san, are the worst liar I've ever met," he said with a smile. "But I thank you for the thought."

Yuri pretended to be offended, huffing loudly as she stuck her adorable button-nose in the air, but the effect was ruined when Kaidou snickered and she burst into uncontrollable giggles. To the dancing couples around them, they must have looked like two immature teenagers at a high school dance party.

It felt nice. It had been quite a long time since Kaidou allowed himself to have this much fun without worrying how it would reflect on him or his family. Most of the girls he had dated before had been from the same world as him - rich, privileged, cultured, cold. For sure none of them would ever have allowed him to hold them as close as he currently held Yuri so soon after meeting. He would have been labeled a pervert and probably would have received a slap in the face for doing so.

But Yuri was different. She was arguably from the same world as him - her father was Nozumo Mareo, the head of the LDP, after all - but she didn't act like it. She was much warmer and friendlier than the other girls. While he often felt the others were putting on an act dictated by their status, with Yuri, he saw her as a real person, unafraid to be her sweet, flirtatious self. It made Kaidou feel as if he could tell her anything.

"Nozumo-san?"

"Hmm?" she murmured dreamily, resting her head on his shoulder as the orchestra began playing another slow, romantic ballad.

"Are you and your father close?" he asked.

"Me and Papa?" she repeated. "Why do you want to know, Kaidou-san?"

Honestly, Kaidou didn't know what had possessed him to ask that question. Maybe it was the sight of his parents dancing across the room, their bodies so far apart, they might as well add another person between them. Or maybe it was the governor sitting by himself at the table, politely refusing any bold offers to dance. "I'm just curious, that's all," he answered. "At the table, you two seemed like you have a good relationship."

Yuri lifted her head and smiled. "I adore Papa," she said. "My parents divorced when I was a little girl, so it's been me and him for a long time."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nozumo-san," he apologized. "I didn't know."

She shook her head. "No, don't be. My parents are much happier apart then when they ever were together. I was glad when they divorced because I could finally stop pretending. I couldn't stand all the pretensions."

"I know what you mean," Kaidou said, thinking of his own parents' crumbling marriage.

"You do, Kaidou-san? How?"

Sighing, he pulled her closer. "I don't want to talk about it, Nozumo-san."

"Okay, I understand."

They danced the rest of the song in comfortable silence, and once the orchestra announced they would be taking a short break between numbers, Yuri took Kaidou's hand and led them away from prying eyes. He had no idea where she was taking him, but he didn't protest, willingly following the golden goddess until they reached the back of the gardens, an area which was lit by only a few random lanterns and provided them with a veil of privacy from the other dancers.

"Nozumo-san, why are we here?" Kaidou asked.

"So I can do this."

"Wh-?"

Before he could say anything else, Yuri kissed him full on the lips.

Kaidou was shocked by her boldness. No girl he'd dated had ever initiated a kiss before. It was a new experience for him, but not necessarily an unpleasant one. After getting over his initial surprise, he responded hungrily, his hands wrapping around her slender waist to pull Yuri closer toward him as she began running her fingers through his hair. Their embrace grew even more passionate as the minutes passed by.

"You're a wonderful kisser, Kaidou-san," Yuri said breathlessly when the two finally broke apart. "And this time, I'm not just being polite."

"You're not so bad yourself," Kaidou whispered in her ear.

The girl in his arms blushed prettily, looking positively angelic in the moonlight. "Uh... I don't usually do things like this," she admitted, embarrassed. "At least not so soon after meeting someone. I don't know what came over me. You must think me incredibly forward..."

"Not at all," he assured her. Kaidou cupped her chin in his hand and lifted her lowered gaze to meet his. "In fact, I think you are incredibly fascinating. You're so different from the other girls I've met, Nozumo-san. So honest and real."

"Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

"It's definitely a good thing - a very, very good thing."

Slowly, he brought his lips down to hers for another kiss. Their second kiss was more gentle and tender than the first, but underneath it, a passion still burned, igniting their bodies. Seconds soon became minutes, and it felt like an eternity of heaven had passed when they reluctantly broke away once more.

"We better return to the party now, Kaidou-san," Yuri said, touching her fingertips to her swollen lips. "Everyone's probably wondering where we are."

As much as he hated to leave their secret little hideaway in the gardens, he knew she was right. Kaidou nodded in agreement and offered his arm. "Another dance, Ginger?" he asked.

Yuri beamed, linking her arm with his before they headed back to the dance floor.

"I'd like that, Fred. Very much so."

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From his table near the exit to the gardens where he sat alone, Keitaro watched through the glass wall that separated the dining hall from the outside as a young couple emerged from behind a throng of bushes and back onto the dance floor. The two lovers were flushed and evidently had had quite a nice time in the privacy of the hidden area, although hopefully not _too_ good of a time. The governor wasn't worried too much about that, though. He knew his assistant well enough to know nothing more than a few passionate kisses had passed between them. Kaidou was too much of a gentleman to let things go any further than that.

What did worry Keitaro was the obvious attraction between Kaidou and the insanely beautiful Nozumo Yuri. Of course, he had hoped the two would get along well enough, but if the red faces and intimate touches were any indication, it appeared they got along a little too well. After only knowing each other for less than a couple of hours, Kaidou and Yuri were already practically joined at the hip. They had eyes only for each other, and they might as well have been the only two people on the floor for all the attention they gave to the other dancers. Their mutual fascination with each other was already causing gossip to sweep the room like wildfire.

"Another fool won over by the dream of love," Keitaro said sadly to himself, taking a sip of his water. He had forgone the champagne after having a glass with dinner, not wanting to tempt himself any further.

Keitaro wished he could be happy for Kaidou. Really he did. He should have been pleased the little matchmaking scheme he worked out with Nozumo Mareo a couple of weeks ago had gone over so well. It could have been a complete disaster. Heck, he had thought it was when Kaidou lost his ability to speak, unable to do nothing more than stare at Nozumo's daughter in a non-drunken stupor.

But in the end, things had gone better than anyone could have ever expected. Negishi would be pleased when he heard of tonight's events. He had gotten exactly what he wanted. Kaidou now had a girlfriend, and it probably would only be a matter of time before they announced their engagement if their respective families had any thing to do with it. Nozumo had been just as anxious to find his beloved daughter a husband as Negishi was to find his grandson a wife, and with the Assembly elections coming up next year, an engagement would show the voters Kaidou was ready to settle down and begin a family. It was no secret that people responded more favorably to family men than bachelors at the polls. A marriage could work wonders for his future election bids, if that was the path Kaidou chose.

However, Keitaro could feel no happiness for his idealistic assistant. He had known Kaidou Ace practically his entire life, and over the years, Keitaro had developed a small amount of affection toward the boy who reminded the governor of his younger self. He had no desire to see Kaidou unhappy, but he feared that would be exactly what would happen if the young man allowed himself to fall in love with Nozumo Yuri. There was no room for love in politics - that he knew from personal experience.

Sighing, he watched as Yuri's father came onto the dance floor and cut into the lovers' dance, wanting a dance with his lovely daughter. Kaidou graciously stepped aside after whispering something in a blushing Yuri's ear, then came back inside. Much to Keitaro's surprise, his assistant was heading in his direction, a laid-back grin on his usually serious face.

"So, I assume things are going well between you and Nozumo-san," Keitaro said dully after Kaidou took a seat in the chair beside him and they exchanged pleasantries.

"Yes, sir," Kaidou answered, his smile widening. "She's a wonderful girl, and quite beautiful."

"That she is."

"Nozumo-san is so different from the other girls I've met," the love-struck man continued, his green eyes following Yuri as she and her father traveled across the dance floor. Even inside, Kaidou couldn't take his eyes off of her. "She doesn't put on an act like the others. I know it sounds absolutely insane, especially seeing as we've only just met, but I think she may be the one I'm fated for, Hino-sama."

"You do?" It was just as Keitaro had feared. The poor fool was in love, or in the very least, extreme lust.

Kaidou nodded, not seeming to notice his boss's less-than-enthusiastic response. "You don't think I'm crazy for thinking so, do you?" he asked. "I was never one to believe in love at first sight, but perhaps there really is such a thing. From the moment I turned around and saw Nozumo-san for the first time, I've felt my heart has been pierced by one of Cupid's arrows. Nobody has ever made me feel this way before."

"No, I don't think you're crazy, Kaidou-kun," Keitaro said softly, surprising both himself and his assistant. "You're not crazy at all."

How could he think Kaidou was crazy, when he had felt the exact same way the first time he met Takara that long ago spring day when he and Minoru visited the Hikawa shrine to buy good luck charms for their exams? Of course, at the time, he had denied his attraction to her, but the feelings were always there, right from the beginning. Even Minoru had seen that. Keitaro knew exactly what Kaidou was feeling, for he saw himself in those dark green eyes filled with adoration.

He only hoped, for Kaidou's sake, that his love story had a happier ending.

"Be careful, Kaidou-kun," Keitaro warned. "Don't make the same mistakes I did. If you are going to love, then love with all your heart. Otherwise, you'll live to regret it."

Kaidou's eyes widened in surprise at the governor's deeply personal words. "Hino-sama?"

"I wish you and Nozumo-san the best of luck."

With that, Keitaro stood from his chair and left, leaving behind a dumbfounded assistant.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For once, Rei wore a smile on her face as she listened to Sister Maria lecture the class on the fall of the Roman Empire. School would be ending soon, and she couldn't wait to leave. Not only was it the beginning of their summer break, but Kaidou had called her the night before, the first time since her birthday dinner in April, saying he wanted to meet her after school with a wonderful surprise. They would be meeting at the nearby park at five fifteen, and to the anxious student, the clock above Sister Maria's chalkboard couldn't move fast enough.

Rei couldn't wait to see him again. The suspense was driving her crazy. She honestly had no clue what the surprise could be, but whatever it was, Kaidou certainly seemed excited about it over the phone. She could practically hear the smile in his voice as he had playfully refused any of her requests to give her a clue.

"You'll have to wait until tomorrow," he had said, chuckling. "If I tell you now, it won't be a surprise."

"But you know how much I hate surprises, Kaidou-san. Please just tell me what it is. If you don't, I won't get a wink of sleep."

"Tomorrow, Rei-chan. I'll tell you then. Until then, sweet dreams."

Her dreams had indeed been sweet that night, she remembered with a private smile. Despite what she had told Kaidou, she was able to get a little sleep, though not as much as she would have liked, and her dreaming hours had been filled with visions of romance she had long denied herself to have. She felt her cheeks burn a fiery scarlet as she remembered one such dream, in which Kaidou had kissed her underneath the torii of the shrine with a passion unmatched in any cheap romance novel.

Oh, how her heart longed for the real thing!

It was strange. If somebody had told her a couple of months ago that she would one day feel such passionate feelings toward the man she had known almost her entire life, Rei would have laughed in their face. Imagine her, the lonely miko who once scorned love as one would a murderer, in love with Kaidou Ace! The very idea was ridiculous!

Hino Rei didn't fall in love. Hino Rei didn't believe in love. Hino Rei hated love.

And yet, today, her heart was overflowing with it.

Her kindred spirit...

The church bells rang just then, startling the young teen from her reverie. "Class dismissed," Sister Maria said, setting down her chalk. "Have a nice summer, girls, and don't forget to complete your summer homework. I'll see you next trimester."

Rei had jumped up from her chair almost as soon as the nun had spoken and was the first of her classmates to leave the room, heading straight to her locker for her shoes. The other girls were lingering behind, talking about vacation plans and saying goodbye to the friends they wouldn't see for another month. Nobody had bothered to ask Rei what her vacation plans were, and only Sarashina Kotono had waved goodbye before she left, but Rei couldn't have cared less.

She didn't need their friendship. She had Kaidou.

After switching her shoes, Rei slammed the locker shut and headed toward the exit. It was raining when she stepped outside, but not even the light summer shower could dampen her spirits. Rei opened the dark red umbrella her grandfather had fortunately forced her to take to school that morning in case of rain and hurried down the steps toward the gates, humming a tune from one of her favorite American movies, _Casablanca_. Coincidentally, it was the same song she remembered the pianist playing in the background at _The Rain Tree_ during her birthday dinner.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Miss Gloomy with a smile on her face!" an annoyingly familiar voice said. "I never thought I would see the day. Careful, Hino, somebody might think you have a lover or something wearing that silly look."

Inwardly, Rei groaned. Did that girl have some kind of radar that allowed her to always know exactly where she would be? But for once, she wasn't going to let Tanaka Sayo and her groupies ruin her day. Nothing anybody could do erase the grin off her face.

"Hello, Tanaka-san," Rei greeted the green-haired girl politely as she approached the gates where the usual group of girls were huddled underneath a rainbow of umbrellas. Befitting her status as the "Queen of T.A. Academy for Girls," Sayo, of course, wasn't holding her own umbrella, instead standing underneath the pink one the purple-haired Mai held over her head, not caring in the least that the poor girl was becoming soaked to the bone. Rei resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "It's a beautiful day, don't you think?"

"What world are you living in, freak? It's raining cats and dogs out here," Sayo said, crossing her arms over her chest. A perfectly plucked eyebrow rose in Rei's direction, suggesting the snobby girl thought Rei had finally lost her mind.

Rei shrugged. "A world in which not even your petty little insults can hurt me, Tanaka-san," she answered smugly. "See you next trimester!"

Rei left before Sayo could recover from her shock, glad that for once, she had gotten the last word. Well, that is, if she discounted the none-too-kind "Shinto freak" the other girl had managed to mutter under her breath as Rei passed through the gates and onto the sidewalk leading to the park, but she pretended not to hear. Nothing, and absolutely nothing, was going to spoil her good mood, least of all, some snooty, ignorant pampered princess, and she continued on her way, not giving Tanaka Sayo another thought.

The park where they had chosen to meet wasn't very far from the Academy, only a block or two away, so Rei managed to arrive with plenty of time to spare. Since she didn't expect Kaidou to be there so soon, Rei decided she would wait underneath the nearby gazebo where she would get some protection from the drizzling rain. Running for cover, she briefly wondered if Kaidou might change his mind about coming to see her today because of the sudden summer storm, but decided she would at least give him until 5:30 to appear. If he didn't arrive by then, she would go home. However, she hoped it would not come to that.

"Please come, Kaidou-san," she prayed from underneath the protection of the wooden gazebo. Amethyst eyes watched as the rain continued to pour around her, beautiful even in the oppressing dreariness of the gray day, and Rei pressed her clasped hands against her chest. "I want to see you..."

The time passed by slowly, each minute feeling like an eternity, yet there was no sign of her father's handsome assistant. Five fifteen came and went, then 5:20, and then 5:25. By the time 5:30 rolled around, Rei had given up all hope of Kaidou coming, and her spirits fell, the euphoria she had felt all day washing away like dirt in the cleansing rain.

"He didn't come," she whispered mournfully, looking at the watch on her left wrist as the minute hand moved over the six.

Rei couldn't really blame him. It was silly for her to even think he would come all this way in this weather. She probably should have gone home to Hikawa and waited to see if he called. She wouldn't be surprised if Kaidou had already called and left a message with her grandfather, taking a rain check on their plans.

But she had wanted him to come so badly...

Grabbing her umbrella, which she had placed on one of the gazebo's benches, Rei sighed with disappointment and left the protection of the gazebo into the storm, slowly heading toward the park's exit.

As she was leaving, Rei noticed she was practically the only person still around. She assumed the others must have left for shelter from the rain. But, surprisingly, one affectionate couple had stayed, sharing a single black umbrella which hid their faces from view, and were leisurely strolling down one of the park's paths in front of her, arms wrapped around each others' waists in a deeply personal and intimate manner usually frowned upon in public. Rei normally would have passed them by, not giving the couple another thought, but the fact they were walking through the park in that kind of weather struck her as strange. Weren't they afraid of catching colds? Curious despite herself, Rei lingered behind them.

"I guess she didn't come," the man said, the pair finally stopping underneath one of the park's many trees.

"Well, what did you expect, honey?" his girlfriend asked, resting her left hand, adorned with a large marquis-cut diamond solitaire ring, on his arm. "You didn't honestly think she would come in this kind of weather, did you?"

"I know, but when I called the shrine, Kondo-sama said she hadn't arrived home from school yet. I thought she might have come anyway."

Rei gasped. Was the man talking about her and her grandfather? No, he couldn't have been. The only other person beside her grandfather who knew she was going to the park was...

Kaidou.

She shook her head in disbelief as the umbrella hiding the couple from view lifted away from their faces, revealing a handsome man with gold wire-rimmed glasses and a gorgeous young woman with golden blonde hair and piercing cerulean blue eyes. Even from the angle from where Rei was standing, the teen was able to recognize her kindred spirit.

"No..." she whispered, wanting desperately to leave but unable to do so.

The lovers seemed unaware of her presence nearby, completely lost in each other's company. "Perhaps we should wait a few minutes more, Yuri," the man suggested. "If she's not at the shrine, then I know Rei-chan will be here. She's not the type to break promises."

"That's fine with me," the woman agreed with a smile. "I'm rather anxious to meet this girl myself. You talk about Hino-san so much, I feel as if I already know her."

The man chuckled, his hands finding their way to the tie hung around his neck. "I don't talk about Rei-chan that much, do I?"

Blue eyes rolled, evidently thinking the answer to that question was too obvious to even dignify with a response. "Oh, Ace, why must you always fiddle with your tie?" she lightly teased instead, pulling his hands away from the offending article. Rei recognized the blue tie as the one she had bought him for his birthday last year. "One day, I swear you are going to choke yourself with that thing."

"I'm nervous."

"Whatever for?"

"I want Rei-chan to like you," he replied. "You are both very special to me, and I couldn't bear the thought of you two hating each other."

She laughed, redoing the knot in his tie he had ruined with his nervous fidgeting. "Don't worry about it, dear. I'm sure Hino-san and I will get along famously. I always wanted a little sister."

"I hope so."

"We will, Ace," she insisted, playfully tapping the end of his nose. "If you love her, then I will love her too, so stop worrying."

He smiled, relaxed in her assurances, and lifted the girl's chin so their eyes met in an intimate caress. Rei had never seen such a look on his handsome features. It was a look reserved only for those in love. "Have I ever told you how amazing you are, Yuri?" he said in a husky voice.

Yuri didn't have to answer, for before she could open her mouth, Kaidou had brought his lips to hers in a gentle, yet passionate, kiss.

If Rei had any lingering doubts as to the nature of their relationship, they were all erased in that one single, intimate moment she witnessed between the couple. The truth hit her like a bolt of lightning, and though she was still shaking her head in hopeless denial, Rei knew in her heart it was true. They were in love. Anybody with half a brain could see that.

He didn't love her...

Tears stung Rei's eyes as she continued to stare while the man she loved held another in his embrace. Perhaps she was a masochist at heart, for though she wanted nothing more than to turn away from the sight before her, she was frozen in place, a statue of heartbreak as suddenly the pieces fell into place. Her fingers loosened in the grip she held around her umbrella, and she didn't even realize it had fallen to the ground until she felt drops of rain mingling with the salty tears sliding down her pale cheek. "No," Rei said again, anger tinting her soft, but clear voice.

The lovers broke apart then, hearing her voice, and upon seeing her, Kaidou blushed, embarrassed at being caught in such a position. "Rei-chan, you came!" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Surprise!"

 _She_ was the surprise? She was the thing that had kept Rei up half the night in anticipation? She was what he had wanted to show her? His fiancee?

Rei shook her head and began backing away. She knew that she should go forward, smile, let herself be introduced. She knew that she should be smiling, happy for Kaidou and this woman, and she knew that she should face up to this.

But instead all she could do was stutter "I-I have to g-go," before she pivoted on her heel and ran, not even stopping to retrieve her umbrella.

"Rei-chan!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In his home office later that afternoon, Keitaro flipped through the pile of mail his maid had left on his desk without much interest. They were mostly bills and junk mail, but one small envelope, shaded a pale yellow that made it stand out from the usual white, caught his eye. Using his letter opener, he sliced through the seal and pulled out the elegant white card embossed with gold and bordered with yellow flowers.

"So, they've finally announced it," he said to himself, reading the invitation in his hand. "Negishi-sama must be dancing on air."

It was an invitation to Kaidou Ace and Nozumo Yuri's engagement party to be held next month at the very hotel where the happy couple had met. The two had gotten engaged last week, and Keitaro had been expecting a formal announcement to come at any day, not that Kaidou had made any secret of their engagement. Everyone at the office already knew the two were getting married for the love-struck grin on his assistant's face had not disappeared since he strolled into the office Monday morning, humming _Here Comes the Bride_ loudly to himself.

Keitaro supposed he was happy for them, at least in theory. There was no denying that the two were in love. Never had he seen his young assistant so blissfully content with his life, nor so focused on his work. Much to the satisfaction of both the couple's families, Kaidou had finally decided he would run for governor in the '94 elections and was already campaigning for a seat in the Assembly next year. Keitaro suspected the decision was due more to Nozumo wanting his daughter to marry a politician than any real desire for the job, as Negishi had informed him of what happened between Kaidou and his father, but Kaidou seemed to be handling things rather well. He was already very popular in the preliminary polls thanks to his no-nonsense, "what you see is what you get" attitude.

Still, Keitaro doubted he would attend the party. He might have been the one who brought them together, but he didn't care much for parties. Setting aside the invitation, he finished looking through the rest of his mail, then got to work looking over some recent legislation that had just been passed in the Assembly.

The phone rang about twenty minutes later, interrupting his concentration. Keitaro frowned at the offending contraption, having a fairly good idea who it was. It was probably Secretary Terada, wanting to complain once again about how the government was cheating the transportation department out of its fair share of the budget. He mentioned he might call when he saw the numbers. Bracing himself for another round against the notoriously difficult to please official, Keitaro sighed and reached for the receiver.

"Yes. Hino Keitaro speaking," he said, answering the phone.

Instead of the gruff Osakan accent he was expecting, though, he was greeted by a sweet, girlish voice he had not heard since April when he had called to wish her a belated "Happy Birthday."

"Otou-sama, it's me."

 _Rei?_ Keitaro sat up in his chair and pushed his falling glasses back up his nose, surprised by her call. His daughter rarely telephoned him except on holidays. Taking in a deep breath, he tried not to seem unduly shocked.

"Rei-san?" he said softly. "This is a surprise. I wasn't expecting your call. Is something wrong?"

"Is it true?" she demanded. Her voice wavered over the phone line as if she was trying her best not to cry.

"Is what true?"

"About Kaidou-san."

"Kaidou-kun?" he repeated, wondering what interest Rei had in his assistant. Keitaro was aware the two were close friends, but she had never bothered asking him anything about Kaidou before. "What about him? Did something happen between you two? Has he done something wrong? I thought he was building ground with you."

"Is he really getting married?" she asked.

Keitaro's gray eyes landed on the invitation to the engagement party sitting on the top of the pile of mail, and he reached for the card, reading the inscription one more time. "Yes, he's engaged to the daughter of the president of the Liberal Democratic Party," he informed his daughter, still not comprehending why she was asking him and not Kaidou. "They're a perfect couple, and the marriage will be a good for his future career as a politician."

"It's true, then..."

Her voice barely was louder than a whisper, and though he couldn't see her, Keitaro knew Rei was hurt by the revelation that her childhood friend, the man who had been like a brother to her, was getting married. He didn't understand why it was upsetting her so much, though.

"Rei-san, are you okay?" he asked. "Is there something you want me to do?"

"I'm fine, otou-sama," Rei insisted, getting a little of her usual strength back. "I don't need your help. There's nothing you can do."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I bothered you with my questions. I'm sure you have a lot of work to do."

"No, that's okay."

"I have to go now," she said curtly. "Bye, otou-sama."

"Goodbye, Rei-san."

Hearing the dial tone, Keitaro sat the phone back down in its cradle and propped his head on the desk. It was always difficult for him to talk to his daughter, whether it was on the telephone or in person. Invariably, no matter how many times he thought he had gotten rid of them, his feelings of guilt would come rushing back, mocking his assumption they were gone. They were like weeds, always popping up when he least expected it.

"Rei-san..."

His hand reached for the handle of his top desk drawer, and he pulled it open, taking out the old family portrait hidden underneath a pile of paper clips, staplers, and other assorted office supplies. His heart ached upon seeing the smiling faces of his late wife and estranged daughter.

It shouldn't have been this way. They could have been family he thought he would never have. He could have had it all. If only he hadn't pushed them away in fear...

How did that old saying go? You never know how much you have until you lose it all?

Sighing, he placed the photo back in the drawer and got back to work.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entering the shrine about thirty minutes later, a plastic sack filled with groceries for that night's dinner in one hand and an umbrella in the other, a rain-drenched Saburo announced he was back from the store, expecting to see his granddaughter walking over to help him carry the food to the kitchen. Instead, all that greeted him was silence.

"Rei-chan?" Saburo called, shaking the rain off his umbrella outside before he put it away in the bin beside the door. "Are you home yet?"

Again, there was no answer. The priest, wondering where she could be, set the groceries down on the floor to be put away later and went to investigate. He knew Rei was supposed to be meeting Kaidou after school for some kind of surprise, but when the young man called earlier to cancel because of the rain, he assumed Kaidou would go find her and bring her home like he said he would. Saburo hoped she wasn't still out in the storm at the park. He didn't want her catching a cold, especially on the first day of summer break. There was nothing worse than being sick during vacation.

"Rei-chan!"

Saburo checked the kitchen and the prayer room and finding them both empty, headed to her bedroom. It was only then he heard the soft sobs coming from behind the paper wall. Worried, he lightly knocked on the door.

"Rei-chan, is something wrong?" he asked when nobody answered. "It's me. May I come in?"

The teenage girl inside called out something that sounded suspiciously like "Go away, ojii-san!" but the voice was so muffled, it was hard to tell. Saburo slid open the door anyway, finding Rei laying face down on her futon, sobbing quietly into her pillow. It was a sight he hadn't seen in over six years, not since the day she came home from the Academy in tears.

"What happened, Rei-chan?" he asked, hesitantly entering the bedroom and kneeling down beside her futon. "Did something happen today at school?"

"I told you to go away," she replied into her soggy pillow. "I don't want to talk about it, ojii-san. Okay?"

No, it wasn't okay. His granddaughter was hurting, and he wanted to know why. As a grandfather, it was only natural to want to make everything better, but he couldn't do that if he didn't know what happened. Saburo gently rubbed her back in comfort.

"Rei-chan, look at me, please. Tell me what happened. I might be able to help."

Rei briefly glanced up from her pillow, her amethyst eyes rimmed with red. "There's nothing you can do, unless you know how to heal a broken heart," she said. "Just leave me alone. Please! I don't want you to see me like this."

His dark gaze softened in sympathy as Rei once again buried her face in her arms, and he suddenly put the pieces together. So it had finally happened. His vision had come true. He should have known. All the signs were there: a meeting with a handsome man with gold wire-rimmed glasses, the red umbrella she took to school that morning at his insistence, the braid she wore which was now undone, the rain... Why hadn't he noticed? Why hadn't he been able to protect her better?

"I'm so sorry," he whispered in her ear, leaning over the young girl to envelope her in a hug. "So, so sorry."

"Please, just go!"

"Rei-chan..."

"Go, please go," she pleaded. "I'll be fine, ojii-san. Please."

"Okay, I'll go," he said softly. "If you do want to talk, though, I'll be in the kitchen, preparing dinner. You don't have to eat if you don't want to, but I'll have a plate ready in case you do. Okay?"

Rei didn't respond, rolling over on her side so she was facing in the direction away from her bedroom door. Saburo took it to mean she agreed and quietly slipped back into the hallway.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Rei began her chores as usual, determined not to let what had happened yesterday at the park consume her for a second longer. Her grandfather had seemed surprised by her willingness to work, evidently thinking she would spend the day crying in her bedroom, but Rei wouldn't hear of it. She had cried enough last night. The best thing to do was to forget about it and get on with her life, and that was exactly what she intended to do.

Walking outside with her broom to sweep the pathway, Rei frowned at the sight that greeted her. Though the main storm had finished passing through Tokyo sometime during the middle of the night, a few light showers had remained behind. The skies were gray, covered in a blanket of clouds, and tiny raindrops fell on her head.

"Phobos! Deimos!" she shouted at her two favorite pets, who were foolishly flying around in the rain while the rest of their comrades had already found shelter from the light sprinkles. "You silly birds! Get out of the rain. You're going to get soaked."

Phobos and Deimos simply cawed in response, each swooping through the air in a loop with all the grace of an acrobat before heading toward the torii. The birds didn't really seem to care that their raven black feathers were covered with beads of raindrops. Rei sighed, rolling her eyes at the two crows perched on top of the gateway. Those stupid birds!

"Idiots!" Rei said underneath her breath as she resumed her sweeping, not even noticing the sudden appearance of a man walking through torii until he stopped about five feet away from her.

The man cleared his throat and politely said, "Hello, Rei-chan."

Rei glanced up from her work and immediately wished she hadn't.

"Kaidou-san," she whispered, lowering her gaze.

Why did he have to come? Surely he knew she never wanted to see him again. They had nothing more to say to each other. The brief meeting in the park had told Rei everything she needed to know about Kaidou, and she just wanted to lick her wounds and avoid him, avoid the evidence of her stupidity.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the two, made even more uncomfortable by the rain sprinkling down on them and soaking their clothes. Kaidou cleared his throat once again, fiddling with the tie around his neck.

"I-I was in the neighborhood and I thought I would stop by to give this to you," he finally said, holding up the book on botany he held in his left hand. "Hino-sama thought you would like it."

Rei glanced over at the present, but made no movement to take it. "Why do you always mention otou-sama?" she asked angrily. "Is it because you still think of me as a child?"

Surprised by the tone of her voice, Kaidou stepped forward and reached up to push back a strand of her hair behind her ear, his beautiful green eyes showing his confusion at the whole situation. "Rei-chan, what did I do wrong?" he asked when she turned her face away at his touch. "I don't understand what happened yesterday at the park. Why did you leave?"

Rei found it hard to believe he still had no clue as to how she felt about him. She thought she had been rather obvious in her feelings. "You know why I left."

"No, I don't," he insisted, holding her firmly by the shoulders. "I've been racking my brains all night, trying to understand what is going on, and all I've come up with so far are blanks. Tell me what is bothering you so I can make things right."

"You can't make things right, can't you see? I don't want you to make things right."

"Why not? You're telling me you are going to throw away years of friendship because of something I unknowingly did to hurt you and not give me the chance to at least apologize?"

"That's the problem."

"What is?" he asked, growing visibly frustrated. "Please, Rei-chan, stop talking in riddles and give me a straight answer."

Rei sighed, finally allowing herself to look into the eyes she once hoped would look at her with passion and desire, finding only sorrow and confusion instead. He really didn't know, did he? Perhaps she was being too hard on him...

"You're getting married," she declared flatly.

Kaidou's brow furrowed into even more confusion. "This is about my engagement?" he asked. "I don't understand. Why are you so upset about this? I thought you would be happy for me. That's why I wanted you to meet Yuri; I wanted you to share in our happiness."

 _Yuri?_ Rei wanted to laugh at the bitter irony. He was marrying a girl named after the very flowers she loved so much, the Casablanca lilies he had given her for her birthday. Somehow, she had a feeling the exquisite flowers would no longer hold the same beauty in her eyes after today.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you thought wrong," she said, shrugging his hands off her shoulders. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to finish my chores before the weather gets any worse."

Rei turned her back toward him and returned to her sweeping, hoping he would get the hint and leave. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side. Kaidou reached for her arm and turned her back around. "Rei-chan, why can't you be happy for us?" he asked.

Rei was tempted not to answer him, but the hurt look he gave her managed to penetrate the cold wall she had built up around her heart. She had known Kaidou for a long time; she suppose she did owe him some explanation. It was the honourable thing to do. "Because if you marry her and pursue a life in politics, your life will be unhappy, Kaidou-san," she said, giving him the partial truth. "I know who Nozumo-san is and what she represents. Otou-sama says you two are a perfect match because she's the daughter of the head of the LDP, but you know a life in politics will consume you, and you'll ignore her and your kids just as he did to me and okaa-sama. You'll see. Your daughter will be unhappy."

"We simply won't have children then."

"Liar!" she said, turning her face away from him so he couldn't see the tears welling in her eyes.

Kaidou reached for her arm, which she immediately yanked away, not wanting his comfort. "Rei-chan, why don't you tell me the real reason why you are so upset?" he suggested.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she lied. "I told you what was bothering me. There's no other reason."

"Yes, there is. There's more to this than your concern over my future happiness, and I want to know what it is."

"Do you really want to know?" she shot back, her eyes narrowing in fiery anger as she whipped her head back around toward her former friend. "Do you really care about me that much?"

Rei knew by that time she was visibly crying, but she ignored the burning sensation in her eyes, refusing to wipe them away. She wanted Kaidou to see them. Let him see what he had to her. Let him see the pain and heartache he had caused. She no longer cared.

"Rei-chan, you're crying!" Kaidou gasped, taking her in his arms.

She tried to put up a fight, struggling with all her might to push him away from her, but he was much stronger than her. Rei finally collapsed into his embrace, hating herself for being so weak as she cried into the woolen fabric of his blazer.

"I thought you said you never wanted to marry," Rei said, her words muffled but still understandable. "I thought you said you were happy with the way things were now, depending only on yourself. I thought we were kindred spirits."

Running his hand through her damp hair, Kaidou sighed. "Things change," he said softly. "I didn't think I wanted to marry until I met Yuri. She's a wonderful person, and I care about her very much. She makes me happy, and a marriage with her will be good for my career."

"Your career?"

"I've decided to run for the governor's seat in the '94 elections," he explained. "It's not exactly what I wanted, but I can do a lot of good if I'm elected to office."

"Then you're going to succeed otou-sama," Rei said, lifting her head from his shoulder and wiping away some of her tears with the sleeve of her robe. She saw a sudden ray of hope at the news. "That's the reason you're marrying her."

"Yes, I am going to follow in Hino-sama's footsteps, but I'm not -"

"But you don't have to marry Nozumo-san in order to be elected to office," Rei interrupted, not giving him the chance to finish what he was about to say. "If you want to succeed otou-sama, then all you have to do is marry me. I love you, Kaidou-san!"

Impulsively, she rose on her tip toes and brushed her lips against his, no thoughts save one on her mind. She wanted him to kiss her, to touch her in a way no one had ever had before. But Kaidou remained unresponsive, other than the widening of his eyes at her actions. He gently pushed her away.

"Rei-chan," he whispered in surprise.

"You love her, don't you?" Rei asked. She could barely get the words out of her mouth in fear of what his answer might be, but the question needed to be asked.

Emerald green eyes lowered, and Kaidou nodded. "Yes, I do," he admitted with a small smile he tried to hide. "I love Yuri more than anything in this world."

Her heart broke for the second time in just as many days at his sincere confession. He really did love the beautiful lily. It wasn't some act concocted by her father or his parents in a ploy to win votes in an election, but the real thing. No actor, regardless of training or talent, could ever imitate the truthfulness of his voice or the look of love in his eyes as he thought of his golden goddess. Silently, her heart wept as Kaidou gently wiped away the tears running down her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I-I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I didn't want this to happen. I honestly had no idea you thought of me in that way. Don't get me wrong, I'm very flattered by your feelings. You are a beautiful person, both inside and out, and I truly hope one day you will find your true kindred spirit, the person who will belong only to you, but..."

"...but it isn't you," she said, completing his thought.

"I'm sorry."

Rei shook her head. "No, don't be, Kaidou-san. It's not your fault; it's mine. I don't know what I was thinking. I always said I would never allow myself to fall in love, and what do I do? I fall head over heels like some ditzy heroine in a shoujo manga." She laughed bitterly at the thought. "Well, I certainly won't be making that mistake twice, I assure you. One heartbreak is one too many. From now on, Hino Rei is through with love."

"Come now, Rei-chan, I'm sure you don't really mean that," Kaidou said, tilting her head up toward his face. "Love is a wonderful, beautiful thing, and I would hate to think I am the cause of you swearing it off for the rest of your life. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but someday your heart will heal."

Rei wrinkled her nose, the words reminding her a certain redheaded man. "You sound like Uchizawa-san. He said the same thing when he visited me on my birthday."

"Uchizawa-san sounds like a very wise man. You should listen to him."

"Maybe..." she said doubtfully.

"Hey, there are good guys still out there. I'm just sorry I'm not one of them," Kaidou said, referring to the conversation they had the day before her birthday. He laughed at the memory and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Guess I'm really not one of the best of men, am I?"

Tentatively, her lips curled into a tiny smile, though her violet eyes remained mournful, and she lightly pecked his cheek. "You're not so bad, Kaidou-san," Rei said truthfully. "Treat her well, and I know you two will have a wonderful life together. I wish you both all the happiness in the world."

"Thank you, Rei-chan."

The two then said their final goodbyes, and with a heavy heart, she watched the only man she had, and ever would, love walk away from her, finally disappearing from her sight once he had passed through the torii and began walking down the long staircase leading to the sidewalk. He was gone from her life, and though he had hurt her, Rei truly did hope he would find happiness with his lily-girl. Kaidou deserved to be happy, even if she couldn't be the one to give it to him.

Was that what Minoru had meant when he talked about how, despite the fact Miyuki had broken his heart when she married Watanabe Kazuya, he could still be happy she was with the one she really loved? Perhaps the playboy businessman wasn't as superficial as he looked.

Rei privately smiled at that and returned to her chores, unaware she was not alone until Phobos cawed and she whirled back around toward the torii. There, a familiar man with light brown hair, slightly damp with rainwater, and emerald green eyes behind a pair of gold wire-rimmed glasses, stood staring at her.

"Kaidou-san!" she gasped, walking back toward him. "What are you doing here again? I thought you had left."

"I did, but I forgot to give you something," he said, holding out the book he had offered her earlier. "Here, I want you to have this. It really isn't from your father. I bought it for you because I thought you would like it. Consider it your real birthday present from me. Sorry I'm so late."

This time, with shaking hands, Rei accepted the gift and pressed the cover of the hardback book against her chest in an effort to protect it from the sprinkling rain. "No, that's okay," she said quietly. "Thank you, Kaidou-san. I'll treasure it always."

Kaidou smiled sadly and dug his hands in his pants pocket. "Well, I should be going now," he said. "I promised Yuri I would help her plan the menu for our engagement party. You are coming to the party, aren't you?"

"No, I don't think I will. Sorry."

"Oh, I see. That's okay." There was a moment of silence between them before he finally turned to leave. "Goodbye, Rei-chan."

"Goodbye."

_Goodbye, kindred spirit._

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The nighttime found the shrine as quiet as a tomb when Saburo stepped out of the prayer room after his evening meditation, stifling a small yawn. Unaccustomed to such silence, he headed to his granddaughter's bedroom and lightly knocked. "Rei-chan, are you in there?" he asked. "I thought you would be doing the dishes."

When he received no answer, he slid the door open and saw that the room was empty. Saburo frowned, wondering where Rei could be if she wasn't in her room. It wasn't like her to leave the shrine without telling him where she was going, especially so late at night. Sliding the door back into its place, he searched the rest of the house.

"Rei-chan! Are you here?" he called out, beginning to worry at his granddaughter's absence.

"I'm outside, ojii-san!" a familiar melodic voice said through a small crack by the main door.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Saburo walked to the entrance and pulled the door all the way open. He found his granddaughter, dressed in a casual outfit of cut-off blue jean shorts and a red tank top, sitting on the porch, her bare knees pulled up to her chest as she read a thin book in her hands. Phobos and Deimos were nearby, dancing on the ground.

"Rei-chan, there you are," Saburo said. "You had me worried for a moment. What are you doing out here?"

She glanced up from the page she was reading with an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, ojii-san. It was such a beautiful night, I decided to come outside and read for a little while after I finished my chores."

"Oh, I see. What are you reading? A new manga?"

Rei shook her head, holding the book up so he could see the title: _The History and Meaning of Flowers_. "Kaidou-san gave it to me this morning," she said. "A late birthday gift."

Closing the door behind him, Saburo joined the young teen on the porch, his ancient bones creaking with age as he took a seat in front of her. "Kaidou-san was here today?"

Kaidou Ace was the last person Saburo would have expected to come to the shrine after what had happened the day before at the park. Rei still hadn't told him the whole story of what had gone on between them, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to guess what had happened. Ever since he saw that vision in the sacred fire on her birthday, he had suspected Kaidou would eventually break his granddaughter's heart. He only wished he could have protected her better.

"Yeah, he came while you were meditating this morning," Rei answered, her violet eyes returning to the book.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, ojii-san," she insisted, a little too cheerfully. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I know Kaidou-san hurt you."

Purposely ignoring the subject, Rei licked a finger and turned a page in her book. "Did you know the meaning of Casablanca lilies is 'I'm in heaven when I'm with you'?"

Saburo decided not to push her to talk about something she obviously did not want to discuss at the moment and shook his head in answer to her off-topic question. "No, I can't say I did. It's a lovely meaning for such a beautiful flower."

"It says here that lilies represent chastity and virtue," she continued. "They are a symbol of fertility in both pagan and Christian traditions, and Greek brides often wear a crown of lilies and wheat to ensure purity and abundance. Lilies are also seen as a symbol of death, and at one time, people used to place lilies on the graves of children." She frowned as she read that last part aloud. "Well, that's rather morbid. Ojii-san, what's your favorite flower?"

Saburo pressed his lips together in thought as he pondered over the question. "I suppose I would have to say my favorite flowers are chrysanthemums," he said. "What do they mean?"

Rei began flipping through the pages, mumbling "chrysanthemums" softly to herself as she searched for the page about the flower. "Here it is. Chrysanthemums mean 'You're a wonderful friend' and represent cheerfulness. White chrysanthemums are a symbol of truth, while the yellow is the symbol of...slighted love." The teen paused for a moment, sadness passing across her face as she looked down at the page, but before Saburo could ask her what was wrong, Rei resumed her reading. "Chrysanthemums, derived from the Greek words chrysos (gold) and anthos (flower), were originally from China and have been cultivated in Chinese gardens for over 2,500 years. The ancient Chinese chose the 'chu hua', as they were known, as the official flower for the month of October. It was also the official badge of the Old Chinese army. Lower class Chinese citizens were not allowed to grow them in their gardens because chrysanthemums were considered to be one of the four noble plants, along with orchids, plums, and bamboo.

"In 400 A.D., the flower was brought to Japan by visiting Buddhist monks. The emperors loved the kiku so much, they sat on chrysanthemum thrones and featured them on the Imperial Crest of Japan. It is also a Japanese tradition to place a single kiku petal on the bottom of a wine glass to ensure a long and healthy life.

"Chrysanthemums are also seen as a symbol of the sun, but in Italy, they are associated with death.

Saburo chuckled. "Another morbid flower, huh?"

"I guess, but only in Italy," Rei said, turning the page. "Do you remember obaa-san's favorite flower, ojii-san?"

"Of course. How could I forget? Noriko adored orchids. I remember she carried a bouquet of orchids on our wedding day."

"It says here that orchids represent love, beauty, and refinement."

"How appropriate," Saburo said.

"They are also a Chinese symbol for many children," Rei said. "The name 'orchid' comes from the Greek word orchis, which means...uh, testicles." Her cheeks flared a bright red, and she attempted to hide her embarrassment by raising the book in front of her face. "Greek women thought orchids could determine the sex of their children. If the father ate large tubers, the baby would be a boy, and if the mother ate small tubers, it would be a girl."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's rather interesting. The things you learn."

Rei nodded distractedly and twirled a strand of her long black hair around her finger. "What about okaa-sama? What was her favorite flower?"

"Cherry blossoms," he answered without skipping a beat. "Your mother loved cherry blossoms."

"Oh," Rei said softly, her eyes, so much like her mother's, landing on one of the sakura trees which lined the path leading to the torii. The trees were mostly bare, the delicate pink petals they were known for having already fallen from their branches, but a few remained, fluttering in the light summer breeze. Amazingly, one of the petals on a nearby tree managed to break away and floated toward them, landing in the middle of Rei's open book. The teen reached for the petal and sighed. "I forgot."

Sensing her sadness, Saburo took her other hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, Rei-chan. You were young when your mother died. Nobody expects you to remember everything about Takara."

His granddaughter contemplated the sakura petal in her hand, rubbing the pink surface with her thumb. "I know, but it seems like it is getting harder and harder to remember her. When I first came here, I could remember everything about okaa-sama: the sound of her voice, the smell of her favorite perfume, the feel of her silky hair. Now, I barely even remember what she looked like anymore..."

"All you have to do is look in the mirror to see that, little one. You are the very reflection of your beautiful mother," he said truthfully.

"Ojii-san, please don't -"

"It's true, Rei-chan. Whenever I'm afraid that I'm beginning to forget Takara, all I have to do is look at you and I remember everything. You keep her memory alive."

The teen blushed very prettily at the compliment, but remembering what they were discussing before, she buried her head in the book on her lap. "Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms... Where are they?"

"Rei-chan?" Saburo reached over and shut the book, deciding his granddaughter had done enough research on flowers for the night. "Why don't you go to bed? I'll live if I don't know the meaning and history of cherry blossoms."

"But I'm no-"

"Not sleepy?" The priest chuckled as Rei tried stifle a yawn behind her hand. "Go to bed. I know you didn't sleep well last night, and as a growing girl, you need your rest. Now shoo!"

"Okay, ojii-san."

Reluctantly, Rei stood back up, tucking the book in the crook of her left arm, and bent down to lightly kiss the top of his almost gray hair. "What was that for?" Saburo asked, pleasantly surprised by the affectionate gesture from his normally reserved granddaughter.

The teen shrugged. "No reason. I just felt like it," she said. "Good night."

"'Night, Rei-chan. Sweet dreams."

Rei then headed back inside the living quarters, leaving Saburo alone on the porch with only her two pet crows for company.

He eyed the two black birds suspiciously. Saburo was never really comfortable whenever he was around Phobos and Deimos. There was something peculiar about those pests. They unsettled him for some reason, even though their auras were hardly evil. In fact, strangely enough, they radiated pure goodness. Their auras were nearly identical to the aura which surrounded his granddaughter, who they protected almost like guardian angels watching over a charge. Goodness, tinged with something indescribable. It was rather unusual for him to have such a reading on an animal. So human-like...

However, once he was assured the crows had better things to do than to creep out an old Shinto priest, Saburo allowed himself to relax. He leaned his back against one of the porch's wooden posts and gazed up at the star-filled sky. Rei had been right when she said it was a beautiful night. The now-cloudless heavens were alit with hundreds of twinkling stars, and there was a crescent moon hanging low in the sky. He felt a sense of serenity wash over him at the sight.

The momentary tranquility of the night was broken, though, when Saburo found his thoughts drifting back to Rei. He wished she would open up to him instead of keeping her feelings all bottled up inside. His grandfatherly instincts were telling him to go comfort her, to hold her and assure her everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't. Rei didn't want his comfort, nor anyone else's.

Saburo sighed. No matter how close they might have become over the last six years or so, Rei still seemed to hold him at arm's length, never truly allowing him into her heart. Yes, she loved him - that he didn't doubt for a second - but sometimes he wondered if her love for him was due more to duty and gratitude for what he had done for her, rather than any real affection or fondness. Of course, then he would feel guilty for even daring to think of such a thing about his granddaughter, but that didn't stop the doubts from popping into his mind every so often.

Closing his eyes, he made a wish on the brightest star in the night sky.

"Please, Rei-chan," he whispered. "Let me in. Don't push me away."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After washing up, Rei entered her bedroom and lit a nearby candle sitting on the nightstand beside her futon. The small flame gave off a soft glow, providing enough light for her to see, but not enough for her grandfather to notice she was still awake after he told her to go to bed. She quickly undressed and pulled on the large, oversized T-shirt she often used as a nightshirt, then settled herself underneath her blankets, propping her fluffy pillows so they acted as a kind of headboard for her to sit against as she reached for her book once again.

Though her sight was becoming blurry from fatigue, and it was a struggle to keep her heavy eyelids from drooping close, Rei opened the book to the title page. There, Kaidou had hastily written a message, the black ink of his pen blotted by the raindrops so it was difficult to make out his already notorious messy kanji. Rei, however, knew every word by heart and read it aloud.

_To Rei-chan, my favorite little sister. You will always have a place in my heart. I hope someday you will find your true kindred spirit. Kaidou Ace._

_Little sister?_ Was that all he ever saw her as? Rei felt the biggest idiot in the world. Kaidou did love her, just not in the way she thought he did, the way she wanted. Why hadn't she noticed it sooner? Why hadn't she noticed that his affection toward her was purely platonic and not at all romantic? All of this could have been avoided if only she had used her brain, instead of listening to her treacherous heart. After all, what did her stupid heart know? It was just a muscle.

 _I was right_ , she thought. _Love only causes pain. Uchizawa-san was wrong about that. I wish I had never fallen in love with Kaidou-san. You can't have faith in people. In the end, they will always disappoint you._

Rei made a promise to herself right then and there. Never again would she open her heart like that, not for anyone. She was alone in this world, and she liked it like that. There was only one person Rei could trust completely - herself.

Closing the book, she set it aside on the floor and blew out the candle before crying herself to sleep.


	11. Soldier Of Fire, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits:  
> \- Some of the dialogue was taken from Alex Glover's and Mixx's translations of the manga.  
> \- The actual Nintendo headquarters is in Kyoto, not Tokyo, but I took a little creative license.  
> \- Thanks to Samuraiter for helping me with my video game research.

Violet eyes closed as the young miko felt herself falling into a deep meditative state. In front of her, the sacred fire burned brightly, warming her skin and calming her spirit. The sensation was not unpleasant, and in a strange way, the heat around her felt almost natural, as if it was a part of her or she was a part of it. The girl reveled in it, enjoying the all too rare sense of belonging.

Rei then allowed herself to relax both her body and mind as her grandfather had taught her and opened herself to receive any message the gods deemed important enough to show her. It was difficult at first, as the fourteen-year-old had only just begun her training as a fire reader and still was rather inexperienced, but her grandfaher told her she had a natural, if untrained, talent for communicating with the flames. Rei took in a couple of deep breaths to focus and then began to chant, her fingers moving in a series of intricate motions that were quickly becoming as natural to her as breathing.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen."

Feeling the fire respond to her calling, Rei's eyes popped open. She reminded herself not to lose her concentration and stared into the flames. They danced before her, flickering bright yellows, exotic oranges, and passionate reds, and cast dark shadows across her face. It brought her peace to see such a sight, and Rei unconsciously began to smile.

However, as she continued to watch the blaze in front of her, a feeling of foreboding overtook her, and she gasped. The fire dimmed, and Rei faintly made out the shadowy silhouette of man. It was too dark to make out his features, so Rei couldn't recognize the man, but somehow, she sensed he was an agent of evil.

"Something is coming," she whispered. "Something unbelievable is about to happen, but what?"

So intent was she on the fire and the question she posed, Rei failed to hear when the door to the prayer room slid open and somebody else stepped inside, his dark shadow falling over her like a blanket. The man lightly touched her shoulder, and Rei nearly jumped out of her sweaty skin, her heart pounding so hard, she thought it was going to jump out of her chest.

"Sorry, Rei-chan," a familiar voice said. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

Rei craned her neck to see who was standing behind her and was glad to see it was only her grandfather. "Ojii-san!"

"Intense reading, huh?" the old priest of the Hikawa shrine asked with an amused smile. "You normally aren't so jumpy, my little fire mistress."

"You could say that," Rei replied dully, watching the flames die back down. She was disappointed her reading had been interrupted but promised herself she would try again later. Maybe she could get a better look at the man's face now that she knew what to focus on.

"Did you see anything interesting?"

Rei shook her head. She was reluctant to share what she saw in the fire with her grandfather. He had enough to worry about without concerning himself with some vague fire reading. The police were investigating the mysterious disappearance of young girls who had taken the bus home after visiting the shrine over the last week, and her grandfather had a lot on his plate to deal with at the moment in helping with the investigation. She didn't want to alarm him until she knew something more definite. Who knew? Perhaps the man in her vision was the person also behind the kidnappings.

"It was just really…intense."

"I see."

Rei couldn't tell if he believed her or not, but fortunately, he didn't press the subject any further, probably too distracted by other things. She had heard a police car, its siren blaring, pull up to the shrine right before she began her meditation, and she didn't doubt he had had to suffer through yet another interrogation about the missing girls.

"Are the police still here?" she asked, standing back up. "I noticed the siren outside."

Her grandfather sighed, suddenly looking very old and tired as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, they left shortly before I came in here. Nothing new. All they wanted was to ask me the same inane questions they asked me last week when this whole mess started."

Rei frowned. "No clues? No suspects? Nothing at all?"

"I'm afraid not, although I'm beginning to think they believe we have something to do with the kidnappings."

"What?" she yelped. "That's insane! We've done nothing wrong. Why would they think such a thing?"

"I don't know. But don't worry about it too much, Rei-chan. The police are just doing their job, and I'm sure this thing will blow over in a couple of days. Once they see we have nothing to do with those girls' disappearances, they'll leave us alone." He didn't say "hopefully," but Rei knew that was what he was thinking.

"But, ojii-san…"

He shook his head, brushing off the subject. "You should probably get back to work now. I noticed a couple of girls outside wanting to buy some charms, and you know you shouldn't keep them waiting."

She picked up Saburo's subtle hint to leave so he could begin his own meditation in front of the sacred fire and didn't argue, though Rei would have liked to resume her reading where she had left off before the interruption. "Sure, ojii-san. I'll go take care of the customers."

Rei exited the prayer room, closing the door behind her on her way out, and went outside to the small office where the shrine's charms and fortunes were sold. A couple of elementary school girls, probably no more than seven or eight years old, were waiting in front of the booth as her grandfather had told her, laughing and pointing at Phobos and Deimos, who were in an unusually playful mood that day. Even Rei couldn't hold back a little giggle at her pets' silly antics, and she wondered what had gotten into them.

"Hello, Mii-chan, Taiyouko-chan," she said, greeting the two little girls as she stepped up behind the counter. Rei knew the best friends well enough, as they were both frequent visitors to the Hikawa shrine. "What can I do for you today? Would you like some charms?"

The dark-haired girl who wore her hair in pigtails nodded her head enthusiastically as she turned her focus away from the crows and stood on her tiptoes in order to see over the counter. "Yes, Rei-san," Mii answered, the unmistakable look of adoration in her hazel eyes that always appeared whenever she saw Rei. She had a slight case of hero-worship. "Me and Taiyouko-chan have a huge kanji test tomorrow, and we need all the good luck we can get."

The other girl, a cute blonde with short hair cut into a bob, echoed her friend's sentiments. "Yeah, if we don't pass this test, our parents won't let us come to the shrine festival next month, and we really, really, really want to go!"

Laughing softly, Rei reached for the box of charms and pulled out a couple for the girls, who were digging in their pockets for donations. "Now, you know good luck alone isn't enough to pass the test," she reminded them. "If you want to make a high mark on the exam, you also have to study hard and make sure to get plenty of rest tonight."

"We know," Mii said. "We're going to study real hard. Promise!"

Taiyouko made an "X" mark over her chest with her finger, a solemn look on her face. "Cross our hearts and hope to die."

"Yeah! Nothing is going to stop us from attending our favorite festival!"

"Well, then, I hope to see you there," Rei said, exchanging the girls' donations for good luck charms. "It should be a lot of fun. Do your best, and good luck."

"Thank you, Rei-san," the girls chorused in unison, bowing their heads in thanks.

By that time, Taiyouko pointed out it was almost time for the next bus to arrive and that they should probably be on their way if they didn't want to miss it. Rei decided to walk them down the steps, a straw broom in her hand to sweep away the sakura blossoms. Even though the so-called phantom bus hadn't made an appearance for the last couple of days, Rei had a feeling it might come again today, and if it did, she wanted to see it for herself so maybe she could give the police a good description and prove that her grandfather had nothing to do with the kidnappings. Besides, she didn't want Mii and Taiyouko going off by themselves during such a dangerous time.

"There's the bus!" Mii exclaimed, jumping down the final steps and pointing. "Good, we made it in time."

Rei turned her gaze in the direction of Mii's finger to see a bus indeed was heading their way. On the outside, it didn't seem much different from the usual buses. It was big and gray, accented with blue and red streaks. Perfectly ordinary. The only physical thing even remotely disturbing about it was the fact it was Bus #666. Rei may not have paid as much attention in the religion class she had to attend at school as she probably should have, but she did remember learning 666 was the devil's number. She didn't think much of it, though, and saw the girls off.

"Bye, Rei-san," Taiyouko said, bowing before she headed toward the open door of the bus. "Come on, Mii-chan! Let's go before the bus leaves."

"Okay, I'm coming, Taiyouko-chan," Mii said, running to catch up with her friend as she waved goodbye to her idol. "Bye-bye, Rei-san."

Rei waved back. "Bye, Mii-chan! Be careful!"

Mii jumped on the first step of the bus after her friend, but much to the little girl's surprise, the door abruptly closed behind her with a loud, ominous thud, not even waiting until she took her seat. The noise alarmed Rei, who had begun sweeping under the impression everything was fine. She quickly glanced up, and much to her absolute horror, she felt the unmistakable aura of evil emanating from the departing bus like a noxious smell.

"Oh, no!" she gasped. "Mii-chan! Taiyouko-chan!"

Rei wanted to run after it, but the bus seemed to gain speed at the very moment she realized what was happening. There was no humanly way she could catch up to it. All she could do was watch as it disappeared from her sight when it turned the corner, the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach growing until she thought she would throw up.

It was the phantom bus. It had to be!

Glancing down at the watch on her left wrist, Rei noted the time. It was six, the same time the other buses had disappeared. It could have been a strange coincidence, but she highly doubted it. She had to tell her grandfather about what she felt.

Her broom left laying on the sidewalk where she dropped it in her excitement, forgotten, Rei ran up the stairs.

"Ojii-san!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Here's a piece of late breaking news. We have just received a report that another bus disappeared around the Sendaizakaue area at around six o'clock this evening. It is unknown how many passengers were on board at the time, but preliminary estimates state between twenty or thirty, mostly school children. This is the third bus over the last week to mysteriously vanish in front of the Hikawa shrine, and the experts are still baffled. Police are offering -"

Governor Hino Keitaro clicked off the television set with his remote and massaged his temple. He had heard quite enough. The news channels all said the same thing - another bus had disappeared near Hikawa, and nobody had a clue who was behind it. There was no need to sit through another report.

Over by window where he stood drinking a cup of steaming coffee, Keitaro's press secretary grunted. "This is getting out of hand, sir," Takamori said. "It is only a matter of time before the press uncovers your connection to the Hikawa shrine, and if that happens, there will be questions that need to be answered, especially if this case remains unsolved."

"Are you suggesting Kondo Saburo-sama has something to do with these mysterious kidnappings?" Keitaro asked.

Takamori looked nervous as he took another sip of his coffee. "Well, you must admit it does look rather suspicious. All three buses disappeared right after picking up visitors from the shrine."

"Takamori-san, Kondo-sama is an elderly Shinto priest. He hardly fits the profile of a kidnapper, especially one so cunning."

"He may not fit the profile, sir, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. Reports say most of the passengers were young school girls, and I don't think it is unreasonable to believe this might be the work of -"

Keitaro cut him off before he could finish, disgusted by the suggestion that his father-in-law might be some perverted old man with a sick fascination with children. "Kondo-sama is not a pedophile."

"That may very well be the case, Hino-sama," Takamori said, setting his mug down on the end table beside him. "And for your daughter's sake, I do hope you are right. However, true or not, that does not change the fact something strange is happening around Hikawa, and questions will undoubtedly arise about your connections to the shrine. How do you suppose we answer them?"

"We'll tell the truth," Keitaro answered. "Kondo-sama is my father-in-law and the legal guardian of my fourteen-year-old daughter. Simple as that."

Takamori frowned. "I'm afraid the press won't be satisfied with that answer, sir. People are going to suspect the governor's office might be using its influence to compromise this case when they learn the main suspect is your father-in-law."

"Well, they are going to have to be satisfied, Takamori-san. We have nothing to hide. If the police haven't made an arrest in this case, it is because of a lack of evidence and not based on any wrongdoing on the part of my office. If they can't accept that, then it is their problem."

The press secretary did not look happy with that decision. Takamori was one of the best in the business and prided himself on always being one step ahead of the media when it came to diffusing any possible scandal concerning the governor's office before things could get out of control. To sit back and do nothing when there was gossip flying around was not in his job description.

"Look, sir, I mean no disrespect, but if we don't do something now to stop this, it could mean disaster."

Keitaro sighed, leaning back in his chair. "What do you suggest I do?" he asked. "Have the police arrest a probably innocent man when there is nothing but weak circumstantial evidence against him to show I am not opposed to having one of my family members thrown in jail?"

"Nobody is suggesting that, Hino-sama. What I am suggesting, though, is for you to hold a press conference to show you are just as committed to finding the true kidnappers as the rest of this city, no matter who they might be, and allow the media to ask any questions they might have concerning your involvement in this case."

Keitaro was quickly becoming tired of their conversation. "I have no involvement," he insisted, slipping off his glasses to wipe the lens with his handkerchief. "I wasn't even aware of the kidnappings until you burst in here, ranting about phantom buses and family scandal. If it weren't for all these missing children reports, I would almost think somebody had fabricated the entire story. It sounds more like something out of a movie than real life."

Takamori nodded in agreement. "I agree with you there, and believe me, I am as skeptical of those eyewitness reports claiming a bus vanished into thin air as you are. However, you cannot argue that there isn't something going on around here." The man held up his hand and began counting off the facts on his fingers. "One, nearly a hundred people, mostly children and teenagers, have disappeared, somehow, over the course of this last week in the Sendaizakaue area, near a holy shrine many people believe holds mystical powers. Two, the priest of that shrine is none other than the governor's father-in-law. Three, the police have no clues or suspects. Four, the peop-"

Hearing enough, Keitaro held up his hand, signaling Takamori to stop. "There is no need for you to go over everything again. I am well aware of the facts, and you are right. It does seem somewhat suspicious."

"Then shall we begin scheduling the press conference?"

The governor pressed his lips together in thought and laced his fingers together in front of him. Takamori was right in some respects. Even though he thought the idea was preposterous, it was only logical to assume there would be people out there who would claim Saburo had something to do with the kidnappings since the shrine was so close to the scene of the crime, and when the press got wind of the fact the priest was his father-in-law, there would be hell to pay. Keitaro could only imagine how much trouble it would cause if that information fell into the wrong hands. Given the right twists of truth by his rivals, it had the power to put his entire political career in jeopardy. Politically, perhaps it was a good idea to nip the potential scandal in the bud, so to speak - acknowledge everything up front before somebody else had the chance to turn the information against him.

Still, Keitaro did not like the idea of putting his family in the spotlight. Ever since Takara's death, he had worked hard to keep his personal life separate from his professional life, and he wanted to keep it that way. As far as the public was concerned, he was simply a widower with a teenage daughter who lived with her maternal grandfather. That was all they needed to know.

"Hino-sama, do you want to hold the press conference?" Takamori asked again, stressing each word as he tapped the edge of his file folder against Keitaro's desk. "We need to jump on this quickly if we hope to do any kind of damage control. It is already bad enough we've waited this long after the first incident."

Exhaling, Keitaro placed his glasses back on his nose. It was now or never. He had to make a choice. "Fine, we'll hold the press conference," he decided. "But…"

Takamori's brief smirk of satisfaction fell. "But what?"

"No personal questions. I reserve the right to say 'no comment' to any question I deem unrelated to the subject at hand. This will not turn into some kind of media circus. And before you even think of it, no, I will not ask my daughter to be there. I'm sure Rei-san is having a hard enough time dealing with the suspicions surrounding the kidnappings without me dragging her into this mess and calling more attention to it."

"Are you sure that is what you want to do, sir?" Takamori asked. The press secretary did not look at all pleased with the conditions put into place. "I can certainly understand your reluctance about your daughter being there, but refusing to answer questions about your family life could backfire and do more bad than good. It is going to make it appear you have something to hide, when the whole point of this press conference is to assure the public you don't. Speaking from experience, you are not playing smart politics here."

"It might not be smart politics, but it is my decision to make," Keitaro declared evenly as he rose from his chair. "Contact the media and set up the conference for an hour from now, Takamori-san."

"An hour?"

"You were the one who said we needed to deal with this as quickly as possible. If we do this tonight, we might be in time to be on the evening news."

"Yes, but…" Takamori paused, looking as if he wanted to object, but then thought better of it. He bowed and then walked over to the door to leave. "I'll get right on it, sir."

"Good."

After Takamori left, Keitaro moved to the large window behind his desk, drawing back the curtains to reveal a moonlit sky. Ideally, he probably should have been outlining what he was going to say at the press conference, but for once in his life, he chose to go unprepared. He already knew what he would say; there was no need to write it down.

Instead, he stared down at the bustling city before him, his thoughts focused on the reports of disappearing buses and missing children. It did sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. Yet, if Takamori was worried about it, it had to be something serious. Keitaro didn't believe in phantoms - but that didn't mean these children were safe and sound. No, it didn't take ghosts to do cruel, terrible things to the young. Keitaro sighed, rubbing at his forehead.

What was going on in the city of Tokyo?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saburo took a seat on the porch steps, leaning his tired head against one of the wooden posts. It was nearly midnight, but he hadn't been able to fall asleep, his mind unable to forget what had happened earlier that day.

Another bus had disappeared. Another bus, filled with children, had simply vanished into thin air.

It was becoming a nightmare, an absolute nightmare.

He couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible by association for the kidnappings. After all, the phantom bus always disappeared after picking up passengers in front of his shrine. But what was so special about Hikawa? Why had the kidnappers - if the people behind the disappearences were indeed human, which he doubted - chosen his home, of all places?

Saburo remembered Rei telling him she felt an malevolent presence nearby as the 6 o'clock bus drove away. Was it possibly the work of an evil spirit? Saburo closed his eyes and focused on his surroundings, trying to sense any traces of evil, but he could feel nothing but peace and tranquility. Whatever Rei felt was long gone. He sighed, wishing he could at least find a clue that would lead to locating the missing children. Those poor, innocent kids... They must be terrified.

"Ojii-san, why are you still awake?" a sleepy voice asked from behind him, breaking him from his thoughts.

Saburo turned around to see his granddaughter, dressed in a pair of lavender pajamas, yawning from her spot in the doorway. "I should be asking the same of you," he quipped as Rei finished tying the belt of her white robe and came over to sit down beside him.

"I heard you walking down the hall and thought I would see what you were up to."

"Oh, sorry, Rei-chan," he apologized. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I would do a little stargazing. I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's okay. I wasn't sleeping very well, either," Rei admitted. "I can't stop thinking about what happened. I was right there, and still, I didn't sense anything until it was too late. If only I had been paying more attention..."

"You can't blame yourself, little one," Saburo said. "It is nobody's fault except for the twisted soul behind this nightmare."

"But Mii-chan and Taiyouko-chan... I could have at least saved them," she insisted. "That afternoon, right before you interrupted my reading, I sensed the phantom bus might strike again. I knew it was coming, yet I still let those girls get on board."

"Rei-chan, you didn't know anything. Did you see the bus disappearing in your reading?"

"No. All I saw was a man's shadow."

"Then don't beat yourself up about it. Fire readings are usually vague in their meanings. For all you knew, it could have been something completely unrelated to the kidnappings."

"I guess you're right," Rei said, not sounding very convinced but letting the subject drop. "So, why can't you sleep?"

Saburo sighed. "Same reason. I'm concerned about the kidnappings and the missing children."

"I thought as much." Rei frowned, crossing her arms across her chest. "The police shouldn't be pestering you and treating you as if you were a suspect. Everyone who knows you knows you're not the one behind this."

"Like I said before, the police are only doing their job."

"Well, they aren't very good at it," Rei spat. "You would think with the sheer number of victims and several eyewitness accounts, they would at least eliminate you from the suspect list. Where in the world would you hide a hundred kids? In the tool shed? And you were in the prayer room meditating during the last kidnapping, so there's no way you could have made that bus disappear. I can vouch for that."

"That doesn't account for much when you're dealing with the supernatural," Saburo said, barely aware he had voiced the thought aloud until Rei gave him a strange look.

"The supernatural? Do you really think something like that is happening, ojii-san?"

"I don't know..." Saburo hadn't meant to share his suspicions with Rei, but no matter how crazy it might sound to some people, he couldn't help wondering if it might be true. "When buses start vanishing into thin air, you have to at least consider the possibility. Things like that simply don't happen in the physical world, unless the kidnapper is some kind of master magician."

"Well, if he is, then that was one amazing magic trick. I saw it with my own eyes, and I still can't believe it happened."

Saburo chuckled, albeit mournfully. "Unfortunately, it did, Rei-chan," he said, shaking his head. "I only hope somebody, whether it be police or ghostbuster, gets to the bottom of this before those children are hurt, if it is not already too late."

"I hope so, too, ojii-san," Rei said, stifling back another yawn. She looked as if she would fall back asleep at any minute, and Saburo laughed.

"I think it's time for a certain young lady to go back to bed," he teased. "Remember, you have school in the morning. You don't want to fall asleep in the middle of class, do you?"

Amethyst eyes suddenly darkened at the mention of school. "Do I have to go?" Rei asked, her voice barely a whisper in the night. "Can't I stay home and help you with the shrine?"

"Why?" Saburo inquired. The tone of her voice, free of the playful whining he remembered so well from when his daughter was in school, concerned him. Rei might not like attending the Academy, but he knew she wouldn't want to skip just for the heck of it. "Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not," she answered a little too quickly, forcing a smile on her face. "We just have this huge history test tomorrow, and I'm not prepared. That's all."

Saburo didn't believe her for a second. "Are you sure that's all?"

"Sure. What else would it be?" Rei asked, standing up to head back inside. "But that's okay. I'll study during lunch, and I'm sure it'll be alright."

"Rei-chan..."

"Well, I better go back to sleep so I'll be well-rested for the exam. Good night, ojii-san."

Watching Rei head back inside, Saburo sighed. "Good night, Rei-chan."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Have you heard about the latest kidnappings?"

"Yeah, it was all over the news last night. Even the governor held a press conference to talk about it."

"It's scary, to think the bus just simply disappeared without a trace."

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?"

"Maybe it was the work of aliens."

"Cut it out, Mai-chan. You're starting to sound like Kotono-chan and her weirdo friends. Besides, we all know that Hino is behind this."

"Well, I think it is some kind of elaborate magic trick to drum up ratings. I bet you all those people aren't even missing. They're probably in hiding somewhere, waiting for the perfect time to come out and say 'Haha, we fooled you!'"

"I don't know… Hey, here she comes! Shut up!"

The chatter in the classroom died the second Rei stepped inside and took a seat in her usual desk near the door. Though she refused to look anywhere except the opened textbook in her hands, Rei knew all eyes were focused squarely on her. She had become quite the hot topic at TA Academy for Girls over the last few days, thanks to the kidnappings. It was all anybody talked about.

Rei could have lived without the extra attention. She hated being in the spotlight like this. Everybody was so suspicious of her. Some of her peers were even afraid to look her in the eye, scared she would put some kind of curse on them or something like that. It was ridiculous! Quite frankly, Rei had had more than enough. All she wanted was for the whole mess to be over and for everything to get back to normal. Was that too much to ask?

Somehow, though, Rei sensed nothing in her life would ever be normal ever again.

"If you are talking about me, then please don't stop on my account," Rei said evenly after a few minutes, her eyes never looking up from her history text. She was so tired of all the whispers and gossip going on behind her back. If they wanted to talk about her, then she would prefer they do it in front of her, instead of being cowards about it. "Go right on ahead. I'm not going to stop you."

A profound silence, brought on by embarrassment, fell over the classroom. Literally nothing but the girls' collective breathing could be heard. Even the sound of pencil scratching across paper, more than likely being used to write some nasty note about her, had stopped.

Rei raised her eyebrows in surprise. Nobody?

But then she heard the unmistakable sound of a chair being pushed back from a desk somewhere near the rear of the room, and a girl came forward, flipping her long green hair haughtily over her shoulder as she passed by the Rei's desk. The girl muttered "Shinto freak" under her breath, just loud enough for Rei to hear, before she took a seat in their absent teacher's chair and propped her feet on the desk, a smug look on her face. There were a few gasps from some of the girls at her audacity, but nobody dared to tell the Queen of TA Academy for Girls her behavior was inappropriate.

"You want to know what we've been saying behind your back, Hino?" Sayo asked. "Well, I would be more than happy to fill you in."

 _Big surprise_ , Rei thought, rolling her eyes. She should have know Sayo wouldn't pass up the chance to try and make her feel inferior.

Sayo continued, evidently not noticing the eye roll or choosing to ignore it. "We have been saying the same thing I have been saying ever since the day you transferred to this school. You, Hino Rei, are a freak. F-R-E-A-K. You have crows as pets, you live in a creepy old shrine, and you use strange powers. You are a weirdo, and we don't like you."

A couple of people, mostly members of Sayo's usual clique, nodded their heads in agreement. However, Rei remained completely emotionless. It was nothing she hadn't heard before, and she had long gotten over their cruel words. Sayo momentarily seemed offended by her lack of response, but she didn't let it bother her for long and carried on with her rant.

"Not only that, but you and your dear grandpa are now kidnapping innocent people as sacrifices to those false gods you worship, and your father, the governor, is letting you two get away with it."

At that, she did react. Rei slammed her book shut and stood from her desk, her blood boiling at a fever pitch. It was one thing to insult her, but Sayo had gone too far by bringing her family into this. "We are not!"

"Oh, really?" Sayo asked, sarcasm dripping in her voice like venom from a snake's teeth. "You could have fooled me."

Rei's temper flared at the girl's ignorance, and it was taking all her self-control not to slap Sayo right across her smug little face. "Read a book sometime, Tanaka-san. Then maybe you would know that the Shinto don't believe in human sacrifices."

"Blah, blah, blah…" The snobbish girl waved her hand in disinterest. "Fine, so you aren't sacrificing people to the gods. That still doesn't change the fact that you and your weirdo family are behind all these mysterious kidnappings. I mean, who else could it be?"

"Lots of people. The police have no suspects, so it could be just about anyone. You have no idea what you are talking about."

"Oh, but I think I do." Swinging her legs off the teacher's desk, Sayo stood back up. A sly smile crossed her blood red lips, and she folded her arms over her chest. "In fact, everything is starting to make a whole lot of sense. Maybe you are innocent, Hino. Maybe you really don't know what is going on at your grandfather's shrine, although how you would be so clueless is beyond me."

Amethyst eyes narrowed as Rei stared into sapphire blue. She didn't like where their conversation was heading. "What are you suggesting, Tanaka-san?"

"It's really quite obvious, when you think about," Sayo said. "I heard on the news last night that most of the missing people happened to be young girls between the ages of seven and eighteen."

"So?"

"So, the police seem to think this might be the work of a pedophile." Making her way over to Rei, Sayo sauntered over to her desk and planted herself right in front of the strangely calm miko. "Tell me, Hino, does your grandfather get off on young girls?"

The sound of palm hitting cheek echoed like a gunshot in the absolute quiet of the classroom.

Though her hand stung from the force of the slap, Rei felt a deep sense of satisfaction as she watched a surprised Sayo reach up to touch the tender area. A huge red welt had formed where Rei had made contact and nearly covered half of the other girl's left cheek. Mai and a couple of the other groupies rushed over to help their leader, but the green-haired girl motioned for them to stay away.

Cradling her injured face, Sayo glared at her attacker. "Why, you little bit-"

Rei interrupted before she could finish the highly improper expletative. There was no way she would let Sayo take the upper hand in the conversation this time. "Don't you ever say that about ojii-san again, or you won't get off so lightly, Tanaka," she warned, meaning every single word. "Ojii-san has done nothing to you. He is one of the kindest, most loving people I have ever known. I understand you have a problem with me. That's fine, hate me all you want. Call me a freak, spread ugly rumors about me, tell me I'm going to Hell… I couldn't care less. You just better leave ojii-san out of this little feud, or I'll make sure you regret the day you ever messed with Hino Rei. Do we understand each other?"

"Perfectly…" Sayo drawled, once again flipping her hair over her shoulder. She didn't look particularly concerned by her threat.

Rei chose not it bother her. If the snobby princess knew what was good for her, she would keep her little conspiracy theories about her grandfather to herself. And if she didn't… Well, Rei wouldn't hesitate giving her a matching welt on the other cheek. She might not have ordinarily considered herself the type of person to resort to violence in a fight, but she couldn't deny what she had done had felt extraordinarily good. Sayo had had that slap coming to her for the past seven years. Rei didn't regret it in the least.

Their homeroom teacher, Sister Theresa, arrived soon after their less-than-friendly exchange. She was surprised by the sight of a bright red mark on Sayo's face. The small crowd that had gathered around the two girls backed away as the black-garbed nun walked toward them.

"What is going on here, girls?" she demanded. "Where did that welt come from, Tanaka-san?"

"I suppose you could say Hino-san and I had a little disagreement," Sayo answered, still rubbing the sore area.

"Hino-san, you did this?" The shocked nun whipped back around to face Rei. "I must say I am very disappointed in you."

Rei held her head up high, refusing to show any remorse for her actions. "Yes, I did, Sister Theresa-sensei," she admitted. "And I would do it again if I had the chance."

Sister Theresa sighed, placing a hand against her forehead. "That is hardly the attitude of an Academy student, Hino-san. I hate to do this, but I'm afraid I have no choice but to send you to Father Watase's office. Gather your books and go."

"Yes, ma'am."

Heading back to her desk, Rei grabbed her book bag and the history text she had been reading, and then left the room, a satisfied smile on her face.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TA Academy for Girls wasn't the only school in which the rumors of the phantom six o'clock bus were running rampant. Over at the middle school in the Juuban district, classroom 2-1 was abuzz with excitement over the latest kidnappings while the students waited for their teacher to arrive for class.

"Hey, did you hear about the evil six o'clock bus?"

"Yeah, the one that goes by Sendaizakaue? I heard that if you get on a bus near the top of Sendaizakaue at six o'clock, it's the end. You'll end up missing!"

"Oo, really? That's scary!"

"They say Death himself drives that bus."

"It's destination could be Hell!"

The girls were all speaking in loud, excited voices typical of a hyperactive, scared group of young girls, but Tsukino Usagi was only vaguely listening to the discussion going on around her. As usual, the blonde with the peculiar odango hairstyle was attempting to catch a little more sleep before class began, her head resting on her desk and drool falling from the corner of her partially opened mouth onto her half-completed math homework. Not for the first time, Usagi wished school could start later in the day. Noon would be nice. It was just too early in the morning for her brain to function. No wonder she always had such trouble in school. How did anybody expect her to get high marks when she could barely keep her eyes open long enough to learn?

"Girls really love these kinds of rumors, don't they?" a female voice muttered under her breath before its owner jumped on the napping girl's back. "Hey, Usagi-chan, wake up! I need to tell you something."

Usagi slowly lifted one eyelid, drowsy and disoriented from her nap. That black cat with the crescent moon bald spot on her forehead always managed to wake her up at the worst times. Only a second later, and she would have been in Tuxedo Kamen's arms, gazing up into his handsome face...

"Usagi-chan!" hissed the black cat, exasperated at the time Usagi was taking to merely wake up.

"Huh? This better be good, Luna," Usagi mumbled, stretching out her arms.

"It is. After school today, we're having a meeting with Ami-chan to discuss our strategy against the enemy."

Groaning, Usagi felt her heavy eyelid droop as she tried to go back to sleep. "Forget about it. I wanted to go home early today and goof off, maybe take a nice, long nap…"

The cat didn't take no for an answer. "You _will_ be there, Usagi-chan. Four o'clock sharp at the video arcade."

 _Video arcade_? Suddenly wide awake, Usagi jumped up from her seat, causing poor Luna to fall on the floor. "Arcade? Why didn't you say so before? You know I'll be there. I want to try to beat Ami-chan's high score on Sailor V. Like that will ever happen, though. She's so good!"

Luna sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. It was fast becoming a familiar habit of the elegant feline. "We aren't going to the arcade to play video games. We have some very serious business to discuss."

"Yada, yada… I know. We need to fight the enemy and find the princess. You've told me a thousand times already."

Reminded of her secret life and destiny, Usagi frowned. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that a klutzy crybaby like her was Sailor Moon, the soldier of justice. Her life used to be so normal until she came across that group of kids being mean to Luna. It scared her sometimes to think of the danger she faced, but at least now she had an ally in Mizuno Ami, a.k.a. Sailor Mercury, the girl genius of Juuban Middle School. With Ami to back her up, things didn't seem as scary.

Her frown soon became a bright smile again, though, not letting the thought depress her for long. "But that doesn't mean we can't mix business with pleasure, does it. Luna? We'll play video games and talk strategy!"

Luna looked as if she wanted to explode, but fortunately for Usagi, the door to the classroom slid open at that moment, and an attractive brunette stepped inside, carrying a stack of exam papers in her hands. The black cat took the teacher's entrance as her cue to leave and bounced on the woman's head on her way out the door.

"Sorry I'm late… Yeowch!" Sakurada Haruna exclaimed. "A cat? Who brought a cat into my classroom?"

Usagi sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh, sorry, Haruna-sensei. She's my cat, but don't worry. She's going home now."

"Tsukino-san! You again? I should have known." Miss Sakurada rubbed her forehead as if she felt the beginning of a migraine and took a seat in her desk. "Okay, class, let's begin first period. Pass forward your homework please."

Passing forward her uncompleted math worksheet, the blonde let out a relieved sigh. Usagi was glad Miss Sakurada hadn't given her afterschool detention for bringing Luna to school. If she had, her new pet would have been in huge trouble. It wasn't even her idea to bring the cat in the first place. Luna had taken it upon herself to follow Usagi to school. It was like she didn't trust Usagi to actually make it there. Usagi sighed again; she might often be late, but she would never cut school completely. Well, at least not without a really good reason.

The rest of the school day went by fairly quickly, and after saying goodbye to her best friend Osaka Naru, Usagi headed straight to the nearby video arcade, for once ahead of schedule. The Crown Arcade was one of her favorite places to hang out. Not only did it have the best games, like her favorite, _Sailor V_ , but the owner's son, who worked there, was very cute. Usagi had had a huge crush on Furuhata Motoki for months, although it had somewhat lessened with the appearance of the handsome and mysterious Tuxedo Kamen in her life. Sometimes she imagined they were the same person, but Usagi doubted she would be that lucky.

It didn't hurt to dream, though.

"Over here, Usagi-chan!" a blue-haired girl greeted her, waving to Usagi from her spot near the _Sailor V_ game as she closed the thick textbook in her hand. "You made it!"

Usagi walked over to her friend, not at all surprised to see Mizuno Ami had already arrived and was waiting for her. Ami was the type of person who hated being tardy. She had probably never been late for anything in her entire life.

"Hey, Ami-chan!" Usagi said brightly, taking a seat in front of her favorite gaming console. "I'm really glad you're here. Now you can help me beat this game, since everybody knows you're the best."

The girl genius blushed, bowing her head. "I'm not that good," she said modestly. "Besides, Luna said we were supposed to be discussing ways to deal with the enemy."

Unconcerned, Usagi placed a token in the coin slot. "Oh, come on. We can play a few games. After all, all work and no play makes Usagi a very dull girl."

Ami giggled. "Usagi-chan, if a person were to choose one word to describe you, 'dull' would definitely not be one of the choices." She paused, placing a finger on her chin as she pretended to consider the suggestion. "But I suppose it couldn't hurt to play a little, at least until Luna arrives."

"That's the spirit, Ami-chan!"

Usagi pressed the button that would begin the _Sailor V_ game, and with Ami's help, managed to clear the first few levels with very little difficulty. In fact, soon Ami had backed away and was playing a difficult fighting game (well, difficult for other people) whilst Usagi had become engrossed in the higher levels.

"Hey, Usagi-chan, you've gotten better!" the cute blond man in the apron said as he watched Usagi's progress over her shoulder. "You're getting really good at this _Sailor V_ game."

Usagi smiled brightly at the compliment but never took her eyes off the masked heroine in a school uniform that jumped across her screen, shooting beams of golden light at the youma coming after her. "Thanks, Motoki-onii-chan! It's all because of the special training Ami-chan's been giving me."

"Yeah, I remember your friend got the high score on the _Sailor V_ game the last time she came here, didn't she?"

The blue-haired girl, who had finished her game and was standing beside Usagi once again, blushed for a second time. "Yes, I did," Ami admitted softly. "I can't believe you remembered."

"Of course I did! You were amazing. Nobody has ever gotten that high on this game before. How could I forget?"

"Yeah, Ami-chan," Usagi chorused as she moved onto the next level, the first time she had done so. "Don't be so modest! You're really, really good at this game. I can't believe you got to this level. It's so hard!"

Taking a brief glance over at her friend during a momentary respite in the game, Usagi saw Ami had turned the shade of a ripe red tomato at their gushing words. Usagi smiled, shaking her head. For a girl who was praised for almost everything she did, Ami sure didn't know how to take compliments very well. If Usagi did things even as half as wonderful as the quiet girl did, she would certainly be enjoying the attention, especially when it came from a certain handsome young arcade worker with cute dimples. What Ami needed was a little more self-confidence, and Usagi resolved to help her get it, somehow.

Luna arrived at the arcade a few minutes later, rubbing against Usagi's legs in a subtle way to show she was there. Usagi growled, annoyed by the distraction from her game, and gently pushed her in the direction of a still blushing Ami. Getting the message, the black cat walked over to the other senshi and jumped on Ami's shoulder, where she was treated to some heavy petting until Motoki left to assist another customer. Then the feline jumped down on the game console beside the one Usagi was playing and cleared her throat to get their attention.

"I hearby call this meeting of the Sailor Senshi to order," Luna said, glaring at her mistress. "Usagi-chan, stop playing that silly game and pay attention. This is important."

"Oh, come on, Luna," Usagi whined as she wiggled around the game's joystick. "I've never gotten this far before. Just a few more minutes, okay? You two can go ahead and talk about senshi business. I'm listening, promise!"

"Are you sure?" the cat asked doubtfully. "You can barely chew gum and walk at the same time."

Usagi huffed, offended by the insinuation behind those words. "I can too! Now talk. I'm listening… Yeah, Sailor V! Blast those youma to outer space!"

Luna didn't seem convinced, but, nevertheless, she turned her attention to the more serious of the senshi. Beside her, Ami had begun intently studying her delicate hands, her navy blue eyes widening in awe of the power they held.

"I still can't believe this," she murmured. "To think that something like magic truly does exist, and not only that, we are both soldiers of justice, gifted with wondrous powers…"

"I know it feels new to you now because you've only recently awakened, but in time, you will understand, Ami-chan," Luna assured her.

Abruptly looking back up from her hands, the soldier of water's face was serious, but full of the natural curiosity that made her such an excellent student. "Luna, what kind of people are our enemies?" she asked. "What is their goal? What do we do next?"

"We have to protect the princess, whoever she is, and the Ginzuishou."

"Ginzuishou?" Ami repeated. "What is -"

Before she could get out the question, Usagi jumped off her stool and pumped her fist. "All right! I cleared two levels!"

Luna rolled her cinnamon-colored eyes. "Usagi-chan, did you hear a word we said?"

"Yes, of course. We have to protect the princess and the Ginzuishou," she recited back, a smirk of satisfaction on her face. "See, I told you I could play and listen at the same time."

"Good."

Satisfied, the cat looked over at the game, the crescent moon bald spot on her forehead twinkling slightly in the florescent light of the arcade, and Usagi heard something fall into the bin at the bottom of the machine. Did she win a prize? Kneeling down, she reached into the bin and pulled out what looked to be either a pair of bracelets or watches wrapped in cellophane. One of the items had a pearl band connected to a large pink face surrounded by four stones of blue, red, green, and orange, while the other looked almost exactly the same, except it had a blue face with matching sapphire stones.

"Cool, these wristwatches dropped out of the machine," Usagi said, pulling the prizes out of their bag and popping open the pink one to reveal the face of a clock. "They're so pretty. And there are two, so Ami-chan can have one, too. Here you -"

"Not yet," Luna said, the cat somehow managing to swipe the watches from Usagi's hand with her paws. "These are perfect. With a little remodeling, we can use them as communicators."

Both girls looked at the feline in shock. "Luna, did you do something to the game machine?" Ami asked.

The black cat knowingly winked at them, and Usagi lowered her head in shame. It was pathetic that some furry animal who didn't even have opposable thumbs knew more about computers and electronics than she did. Some day she was going to have to ask Luna how she learned all her technical mumbo-jumbo. That cat was too smart for her own good.

"Wow, look at the time," Usagi said, glancing up at the clock on the wall. She was surprised how late it had gotten. It seemed like they only arrived a few minutes ago. "It's almost 5 o'clock."

There was a flurry of activity at the announcement as the girl genius began stuffing the book she had been reading before Usagi arrived back into her book bag. "Oh, no! I have an English prep class in thirty minutes," Ami exclaimed. "I'm going to be late if I don't hurry. I have to go."

Usagi pouted, disappointed her friend had to go so soon. She didn't want Ami to leave. "But, Ami-chan, it's boring without you. How am I going to get to the next level without you coaching me?"

"Well, why don't you come with me then, Usagi-chan?" Ami suggested. "You could join my class. It is really fun, and you learn a lot."

Luna, unable to resist a little good-natured ribbing at Usagi's expense, enthusiastically agreed. "You should, Usagi-chan. It would be good for you. Besides, didn't you fail your last three English exams?"

Giving the cat a nasty look, Usagi whacked Luna on the top of her head. "You didn't need to mention that in front of Ami-chan, Luna," she growled through her teeth.

"Oh, Usagi-chan, it's okay. English is a very difficult language to learn. I have trouble with it sometimes, too," Ami admitted with a sympathetic smile. "That's why I'm taking this course."

"Well, I'm not sure I need another class to worry about, but I'll keep you company on the way there."

"Great. Then we better go before we miss the bus."

Waving goodbye to Motoki, Usagi and Ami, along with Luna, who was curled up on Usagi's shoulder, left the Crown Arcade and headed to the nearby bus stop. A bus bearing the name Sendaizakaue was coming toward them.

"Oh, we should be able to see that mysterious girl today," Ami informed them as they waited for the bus to stop. "There's this really beautiful girl who sometimes rides the Sendaizakaue bus home at this time."

"The Sendaizakaue bus?" Something clicked in Usagi's brain at the name. She recognized it, although from where, she could not recall. "I think I've heard of it before…"

"That's right!" a slightly nasal voice said. "That's the same route as the evil six o'clock bus everyone has been talking about."

Usagi turned around and was surprised to find Umino Gurio, one of their classmates, standing behind them, adjusting the frames of his thick glasses. "Hey, Umino-kun, where did you come from?" she asked as the bus finally pulled up at the bus stop.

Umino ignored the question, grabbing the sleeve of Usagi's uniform. "I wouldn't ride that bus if I were you, Usagi-san," he warned. "You might go missing like all those other people. It's dangerous!"

Laughing, Usagi grabbed the handrail and jumped on board after Ami. "Oh, that's just a silly rumor," she said, dismissing his words with a wave of her hand. Umino lived in a state of constant paranoia, so she doubted there was any truth to the story. Besides, it was only five fifteen. It would be another forty-five minutes before the so-called "evil bus" appeared, if there was even such a thing. "I'll be fine, Umino-kun."

"B-But -"

The door closed before he could sputter out the rest of his warning, and Usagi giggled at the sight of Umino standing speechless at the bus stop, his mouth hung open mid-word and his finger in the air, as the bus drove away. Sometimes, Umino could be such a nerd, but it was sweet of him to be so concerned about her safety.

About five minutes later, the bus made another stop to pick up a few more people. Among the group that entered the bus was a beautiful, dark-haired girl. Even though there were a couple of girls who wore the same school uniform in the new group, she seemed very much alone, standing apart from her classmates at a pole near the back of the bus.

"Look, Usagi-chan, there she is," Ami whispered, discreetly pointing in the girl's direction. "Wow, she has a TA Academy uniform. I'm impressed. The Academy is one of the most exclusive and academically challenging private schools in all of Tokyo. Her family must be very wealthy. See, isn't she beautiful?"

Turning around for a look, Usagi had to agree with Ami. The girl from TA Academy for Girls was exquisitely beautiful. She was around their age, with waist-length black hair the color of midnight and unusual purple eyes, and as Ami had pointed out, she wore the Academy's uniform, which Usagi thought was much cuter than the one Juuban students were assigned to wear, consisting of a very short brown skirt and a gray jacket trimmed with a red bow. Her posture was immaculate, and she had an air of elegance around her.

"Yeah, Ami-chan, you're right," Usagi said. "She's so pretty, like a princess or something! Wouldn't be cool if she was? Imagine, a real-life princess right here in Tokyo!"

"Yes, I suppose that would be rather interesting," Ami said as the bus rolled to a stop. The genius grabbed her book bag, which she had sat down on a nearby seat, and bowed. "This is my stop, Usagi-chan. Thank you for keeping me company. I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Okay. See you, Ami-chan!"

Usagi barely noticed her leaving, still staring at the mysterious girl in the back with stars in her eyes. She bet the girl really was a princess, or at least a duchess, in exile from some foreign country, like China or Singapore. Or maybe she was some kind of goddess come down from heaven like in those old legends about the tennyo her mother used to tell to her before bedtime. Or maybe she was…

"Next stop, Sendaizakaue, in front of the Hikawa shrine," the bus driver said into his microphone, interrupting Usagi's musings.

At the announcement, the girl looked up and headed back to the front of the bus, and unconsciously, Usagi felt her feet move toward her, following the girl as she stepped off. She didn't know why, but she had to know where the princess was going.

Sharp claws dug into the skin of her arm as she jumped off the final step. "Usagi-chan!" Luna growled under her breath. "Why did you get off here? Your house is no where near Sendaizakaue. Are you following that girl?"

"But she's so pretty! I want to meet her," Usagi explained, looking around for the girl. She could have sworn she had gotten off there, but other than some middle-aged man walking his dog down the street, there was no one around. Usagi stomped her foot in frustration. That stupid cat! "Oh, no. Now she's gone! This is all your fault, Luna. I lost her."

"Maybe she went into that shrine," the cat suggested, pointing her tail in the direction of a long stone staircase leading up to the torii.

With a weary sigh and slumped shoulders, Usagi dolefully eyed the stairs as if they were some impossible-to-solve math problem. "Walk all the way up there?" she asked. Knowing her luck, she'd probably trip on one of the steps and twist her ankle, or worse. Tsukino Usagi and staircases simply did not mix. "I don't know. It's an awfully long climb…"

"You wanted to meet her, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but -"

"Then, don't be lazy. Just think of it as senshi training."

Luna was right. She really did want to meet the girl, and she had already come this far; it would be silly to turn around now. Usagi squared back her shoulders, a look of pure determination in her eyes, and began up the stone staircase, praying to whatever god the shrine was dedicated to not to fall and break her neck.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing Rei did when she walked into the quiet shrine after school was head to the kitchen, where she found a note from her grandfather hanging on front of the refrigerator with a Hello Kitty magnet. It said he had gone out to buy some groceries for dinner and he would be back in about an hour.

Rei was grateful for his absence. Maybe by the time he got back, she would think of a way to explain the letter which currently was burning a hole in her jacket pocket.

 _Stupid Tanaka Sayo…_ If there was any justice in the world, that snob would have been the one sent to the principal's office and given the letter to take home, not her. After all, she had only hit the girl. Sayo's verbal abuse was far worse than any slap she could have given. While the red welt on the other girl's face had almost faded when Rei had returned to class after Father Watase's lecture, the scars she bore ran much deeper, and no amount of healing would ever make them completely go away.

"Ojii-san is going to be so disappointed in me," she said to herself, pulling out the envelope. Rei was almost tempted to tear the letter in half and throw it away in the trash, but she needed to have it signed by a parent or guardian.

Sighing, she smoothed out the crease in the middle of the envelope and set it on the kitchen counter where her grandfather would be certain to see it when he came home. There was no point in delaying the inevitable; she knew that hiding it from him would only make things worse in the long run. Rei then headed to her bedroom to change into her miko's robes so she could begin her usual chores around the shrine.

Maybe her grandfather would understand why she had slapped Sayo when he heard what the girl had said about him. Rei's blood still boiled with anger when she thought of the disgusting accusation the girl had made against her grandfather. How could she even suggest such a thing? Kondo Saburo was one of the kindest and most decent men she had ever known. The idea of him being some kind of sick pervert was unthinkable to her.

But it did make her wonder. Did other people have the same idea about her grandfather? Was that the reason why the police were continuing to investigate them?

Biting down on her lower lip, Rei angrily tied her belt into a bow, not even noticing the tightness around her waist. She hated this! Her grandfather had nothing to do with the kidnappings, so why wouldn't they leave him alone? The police should be out trying to find the real kidnappers, not wasting their time pestering an innocent old man with questions and false accusations. More children would be hurt if they didn't find the cause of the disappearances soon. Didn't they care about that?

 _No_ , she thought bitterly. All they cared about was finding the perpetrator and getting the glory.

Rei quickly finished dressing, still fuming, and headed to her bedroom door. It was then when she felt it - a strange and foreign presence nearby, overwhelming her senses. Her heart thumped, and Rei nearly lunged for the door, reaching for one of her ofuda scrolls in the top part of her robe.

What was it? An evil spirit? A ghost?

Outside, she could hear Phobos and Deimos cawing loudly, along with somebody's high-pitched screams. Whoever her faithful companions were attacking must have had the lung capacity of a whale. Following the noise, Rei sprinted toward the main door and slid it open. Her mind went blank as she stepped onto the porch, and she let instinct take over her body, ready to do whatever was necessary to defend her home.

At that moment, all Rei knew was that she had to protect the shrine from the invaders. She wouldn't allow evil spirits to taint the holiness of Hikawa. That was her duty. She had to protect Hikawa.

"Akuryo taisan!"

A strip of paper flew from her hands as she yelled the words, decorated with fancy calligraphy Rei had done herself. The ofuda scroll seemed to move on its own power and headed straight toward the invader. It landed squarely in the middle of the person's eyes, and the screaming that had filled the air instantly stopped as the owner of the shrill voice was too stunned to speak. Then there was a soft thud as a body fell to the ground.

Only then did she realize what she had done.

"Wh-What?" Rei gasped, taking in the sight of a young blonde schoolgirl sprawled on the grass. "It's a girl?"

That couldn't have been right. Rei knew she had felt something, and her "feelings" were rarely ever wrong. Not only that, but Phobos and Deimos had apparently felt something, too. They wouldn't have felt the need to attack if they hadn't. Yet, the unconscious girl on the ground before her was obviously nothing more than an innocent bystander caught in the round of fire.

Running over to help, Rei kneeled down beside the girl and cradled her head on her lap. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, hoping the girl hadn't been seriously hurt by the attack. "Please, answer me."

"Uhhh…" The odango-headed girl stirred and slowly opened her eyes, confused and disoriented as she looked around. "Where am I?" she asked, bring a hand to her forehead. "Why am I on the ground? Everything is so dizzy, and my head hurts…"

Much to Rei's relief, the girl seemed fine other than perhaps a nasty headache. She sat up on her own once she got over her dizzy spell and turned around to face the embarrassed miko.

"I'm so sorry," Rei apologized, bowing to the still-confused blonde. "I must have made a mistake. I thought I felt an evil spirit."

"Evil spirit…?"

"Phobos and Deimos don't usually attack people," she explained, holding out her left arm to one of the birds. "I don't know what happened. I'm sorry they frightened you. Did they scratch you?"

"No, I don't think so…" The girl examined her arms for any signs of a tear in her uniform, and satisfied she had come through the attack unscathed, smiled brightly as she reached for her cat. "I'm fine, really. Hey, are you the miko of this shrine?"

Rei was shocked by the abrupt change in the girl's moods. It was as if she had forgotten the attack had ever happened.

"Y-Yes, I am," she stuttered. "My name is Hino Rei, and my grandfather is the priest here at the Hikawa shrine."

"It's nice to meet you, Rei-chan! I'm Tsukino Usagi and this is my cat, Luna. My friend Ami-chan and I saw you on the bus earlier." Laughing, Usagi rubbed the back of her neck. "Actually, we thought you might be a princess or something."

Rei blinked in surprise. "Me? A princess? Well, you must be terribly disappointed then, Tsukino-san. I assure you I am no princess except in my former caretaker Yukana-san's eyes. Before you, I am only a humble shrine maiden."

"No, I'm not disappointed at all! I think it's totally cool you're a miko!"

"You do?"

Usagi nodded vigorously, and Rei allowed herself a small half-smile. The blonde was a sweet girl, if perhaps a little ditzy. She was probably very popular at her school. Usagi seemed like the type of person who could be friends with anyone - the complete opposite of her. Rei noticed her aura was very bright, almost blinding, and filled with endless love. Perhaps that was what she and the crows had sensed earlier. There was something unusual about the girl…

Rei was interrupted from her thoughts by a voice chanting a prayer over at the haiden. "I wish my Mii-chan would come home," a woman prayed, ringing the bell. "Please bring her back to us."

_Mii-chan?_

Politely excusing herself from Usagi's presence, Rei approached the haiden where two women stood. The one who was praying she recognized as Mii's mother. The other woman, wearing a pair of tortoiseshell glasses, was unfamiliar to her, but Rei could see the similarities between her and Mii's best friend Taiyouko. She was most likely Taiyouko's mother, or at least a close relative.

Rei's eyes darkened in sadness as she guessed why they had come. A part of her had hoped somehow Mii and Taiyouko had managed to escape the fate of the other children who took the six o'clock bus home that day, though she knew the bus had disappeared soon after the girls got on. Wishful thinking, she supposed.

"Akiyama-san, did something happen to Mii-chan?" Rei asked softly once the woman had finished her prayers.

Mrs. Akiyama turned around. "Oh, Rei-chan!" she exclaimed. "You've probably heard it on the news already, but our daughters have gone missing. We're so worried. I've heard the rumors about that evil six o'clock bus, but I never thought they were true. Mii-chan and Taiyouko-chan always ride the bus home after visiting the shrine. We're afraid the children might have been kidnapped!"

"I'm sorry, Akiyama-san."

The woman brought her hand to her mouth, barely managing to hold back the tears clouding her eyes. "I knew we shouldn't have allowed them to come here by themselves," she continued. "This neighborhood used to be so dangerous. It's always given me the creeps - not that I mean to say your shrine is creepy, Rei-chan."

Mrs. Akiyama added the last part in a quick burst of words that told Rei she had actually meant quite the opposite. Rei tried not to take it personally, but it was hard. Mii's mother was understandably upset over her daughter's disappearance, and Rei knew she couldn't blame her for being suspicious, even if her suspicions were completely unfounded, but that didn't make Mrs. Akiyama's words any easier to take, especially after what had happened at school. She took a deep breath to calm her slowly rising temper and tried not to show her irritation.

"I'm sure Mii-chan and Taiyouko-chan will come home soon, safe and sound," Rei assured the women. "My grandfather and I will keep the girls in our prayers."

"I certainly hope so, Hino-san," Taiyouko's mother said, reaching for Mrs. Akiyama's arm. "Come, Chiyo-san. It's getting late. If we want to make it to the police station before dinner, we need to be on our way."

"Yes, we must be on our way," Mrs. Akiyama echoed. "Goodbye, Rei-chan."

Rei bowed. "Goodbye, Akiyama-san."

The women turned to leave, the one with the tortoiseshell glasses regarding Rei with a final suspicious glare, as the miko sensed Usagi and Luna come up beside her. Both girls could hear the mothers' conversation as they walked away, despite the fact they were talking in whispers.

"What's with her, Chiyo-san? That miko's face didn't change color at all. She wasn't even surprised when you told her Taiyouko-chan and Mii-chan were missing."

"Hino Rei-san of the Hikawa shrine is an eccentric. She reportedly has strange, mystical powers and can talk to crows. Mii-chan admires her a lot, but honestly, I've always thought Rei-chan was rather strange. It's like she is inspired."

"Do you think she and her grandfather have anything to do with the disappearances?"

"I don't know. The police do appear to be concentrating their investigation on the shrine…"

The voices died away as the women disappeared down the stairs, and a hand gently rested on Rei's shoulder in a show of support. "Rei-chan, are you okay?" Usagi asked.

"I'm fine, Tsukino-san," Rei insisted, lying through her teeth.

The blonde shook her head. "Oh, don't be so formal! Call me Usagi!"

Despite herself, Rei smiled. The girl's boundless joy was infectious. "Okay, Usagi-chan."

"What were those women talking about?"

"Oh, it's just a silly rumor." Rei's smile disappeared at the reminder of the women's private conversation. "Sendaizakaue is an unusual place where five roads all meet, but ever since long ago, there have been reports of a phantom sixth road. Some people say the evil six o'clock bus is sucked into that sixth road and disappears. Do you know what it's called, Usagi-chan?"

Shaking her head, Usagi held Luna closer, taking comfort from the soft warm fur. "N-No, I don't. What is it called?"

"It's called a Hell Heist."

"A Hell Heist?" Usagi repeated, her blue eyes widening to the size of saucers. "That sounds scary. Is there really such a thing, Rei-chan?"

Rei shook her head. "I don't know, Usagi-chan..."

But she vowed to find out.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Dear Kondo-sama,_

_We are sending you this letter to inform you your granddaughter, Hino Rei-san, was sent to the principal's office this morning for the physical assault of another student. Since it is her first offense, Hino-san only received a warning, but if this behavior continues, we will be forced to take tougher action, up to and including expulsion from our school. TA Academy for Girls does not tolerate this kind of violent behavior from our students. It is our hope you will impress upon your granddaughter the gravity of what she has done, and so prevent further incident. Please fill out the bottom portion of this letter and have the student bring it back to school no later than 3:00 p.m. tomorrow. Thank you._

Saburo reread the letter in his hands for the third time, still in disbelief. Surely, there must have been some kind of mistake. The granddaughter he had raised had been taught to settle her disagreements with words, not violence. Rei would never assault one of her classmates. It simply wasn't possible…

But when Rei herself walked into the kitchen to help him put away the groceries and start dinner a few minutes later, there was a guilty look on her face when she saw him reading the note. Without a word, she stopped in the middle of the doorway and bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry, ojii-san," she whispered. "So very sorry…"

Confused, Saburo looked first at his granddaughter, then back down at the letter, then back at his granddaughter again. He didn't want to believe it, but at that moment, he knew in his heart it was true. Anger and disappointment melded his heart, and he barely restrained himself from snapping at her.

"What did you do, Rei-chan?" he demanded, holding up the letter so she could see.

There was a short pause before Rei hesitantly tried to explain herself. "I slapped a girl before homeroom began," she said, her hands clenching into fists at her side. "I know I shouldn't have done it, but Tanaka-san made me so mad! She was saying such horrible things about you. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I guess I kind of…snapped."

"Things about me?" Saburo asked, surprised. That was the last thing he expected to hear. "What about me?"

Rei slowly lifted her head, her gaze meeting his, but when she tried to speak, no words emerged from her lips. "I-I can't say it," she finally managed to sputter, abruptly turning around. "It's too horrible. It makes me sick even to think about it."

Concerned, but no longer truly angry with Rei, Saburo walked over to his granddaughter and placed his wrinkled hands on her shoulders. He was more worried about the reason behind the assault than the actual slap itself. "It couldn't have been that bad," he said softly.

"But it was!" she insisted. "The idea that you would do such a thing…"

"Do what?"

"I can't say it."

Turning Rei back around to face him, Saburo gave her a sad smile. He had a very strong hunch he already knew what had upset her so much. The rumors weren't isolated only in school classrooms; he had heard plenty during his expedition to the shopping district. "This is about the kidnappings, isn't it, Rei-chan?"

She gasped. "How did you know?"

The priest forced out a hollow chuckle. "What else is there? That's all everybody has been thinking about lately. We were bound to become subjects of rumor, no matter how ridiculous and untrue the rumors may be."

"What Tanaka-san said about you was far worse than any rumor," Rei said, her voice tinged with anger. "It was slander!"

"Slander or not, I'm afraid many people hold the same ideas about me as your friend."

Rei scoffed. "Tanaka-san is hardly my friend."

"No, I should think not."

"How can you be so calm about this, ojii-san? Don't you care that people are saying awful, disgusting things about you behind your back?"

"I can't control what people think of me, Rei-chan," Saburo said, pulling out a large black pot to begin the soup they were having for dinner. "Does it bother me? Yes, very much so. It hurts when people who once respected you resort to jaywalking across the street just so they won't have to pass you on the sidewalk, but I can't do anything about that. Anger or violence won't solve anything. All I can do is hope and pray the police will soon apprehend the true kidnappers and prove my innocence."

"And if they don't?"

If they didn't, well, Saburo didn't want to think about what might happen. "They will," he insisted, half in blind faith and half in fervent hope.

"I hope you're right, ojii-san."

"I hope so, too."

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"Hino-sama, Tanaka Yoshiyuki-san is here to see you," Miss Katsuki said.

Keitaro glanced up from the paperwork he had been working on to see his dowdy secretary standing at the door. "Tanaka-san?"

"I told him he didn't have an appointment, but he insists on speaking to you right away, sir. He says it's urgent."

Keitaro sighed. The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was speak to his one-time rival, but if Tanaka, who still held a legendary grudge against him over losing the '78 gubernatorial elections, felt it was important enough to see him after swearing never to step foot in the office as long as Keitaro remained governor, then he couldn't turn him away. Setting down his pen, Keitaro sat back, preparing for an unpleasant time.

"Very well. Send Tanaka-san in, Katsuki-kun, but inform him to make his visit quick. I have a meeting I must attend in ten minutes."

"Yes, Hino-sama."

The door to the main office opened a few moments later, and Keitaro rose from his seat to greet his unexpected guest. "Good afternoon, Tanaka-san," he said. "Please, have a -"

"Cut out the politeness crap, Hino," Tanaka interrupted as he stormed into the office, startling poor Miss Katsuki who held open the door. "This is not a social call."

Keitaro was not at all surprised to see Tanaka was as rude and disrespectful to him as he had always been. The fourteen years that had passed since Keitaro withdrew from the debate at Tokyo University had not softened the older man in anyway, except perhaps for in the stomach area where it appeared he had developed a slight paunch. In fact, Tanaka's eyes glittered with exactly the same malice, and his mouth was still bordered by those cruel deep lines.

"As blunt as usual, I see," Keitaro said, taking a seat back in his chair behind the desk. "Well, if this isn't a social call, then may I ask what business you have with me, Tanaka-san?"

"This."

With a flourish, Tanaka reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and produced a long, white envelope already crudely torn open. He handed the envelope to a surprised Keitaro and motioned for him to read the letter inside.

"What is this?" Keitaro asked as he pulled the letter out of the envelope and pushed his glasses back up his nose to read. The elegant letterhead of TA Academy for Girls at the top was the first thing he noticed when he unfolded the paper. "A letter from my daughter's school?"

"You're a regular Einstein, Hino," Tanaka said, finally sitting down in the chair Keitaro tried to offer him earlier. "To be more specific, it is a copy of the letter that was sent home with your daughter after she attacked my granddaughter at school this morning. A family friend on the board of trustees at the Academy was kind enough to send it to me."

"Attacked?"

Briefly reading over the letter, Keitaro shook his head in disbelief, shocked to read that Rei had physically assaulted another student at her school. She had never done anything like that before, at least not to his knowledge.

Tanaka nodded. "It's all right there in black-and-white."

"You say Rei-san assaulted your granddaughter?"

"Apparently, she and Sayo-san got into some kind of heated argument before homeroom, and Hino-san slapped her. I don't know all the details, but there is no excuse for your daughter's behavior."

Frowning, Keitaro looked over the letter once again before folding it back up and slipping the paper into the envelope. He didn't quite understand why Tanaka felt the need to show him the note. Tanaka knew Rei lived with her grandfather. It was out of his hands.

"Well, I'm sure Kondo-sama will deal with this in a fair and responsible manner," he assured the angry grandfather. "Thank you for telling me."

"Hino, I don't think you understand the severity of your daughter's actions," Tanaka thundered, banging his fist on the desk in front of him. "I do not take kindly to a member of my family being attacked by anyone, much less a member of yours. The Academy only took minor action since it was her first offense, but I have half a mind to press charges."

"For a slap?" Keitaro asked, thinking that was a little extreme. "I agree that it probably wasn't the best course of action for Rei-san to take in an argument, but don't you think you are being a tad bit ridiculous? It was only a schoolyard fight, and nobody was seriously hurt."

"Not at all. I'm sure the press would have a field day with this story - not that they don't already have enough headlines with your father-in-law being the prime suspect in the mass kidnapping case."

Keitaro's eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses. "That is only speculation, and you know it, Tanaka-san. There is no proof Kondo-sama has anything to do with those children's disappearances."

The balding man in front of him had the nerve to laugh. "I hate to say it, Hino, but in today's media, the line between truth and rumor is very blurry indeed. It doesn't matter if it is true or not. In the eyes of the public, the old priest has already been tried and hung." Reaching for the envelope which Keitaro had set aside, Tanaka placed it back in his pocket, a white eyebrow raised. "Shame if you would have to deal with yet another scandal so soon, especially with the Diet elections less than two years away…"

"If you are trying to blackmail me, it is not going to work. I'll have you charged with extortion so fast, you won't have time to blink."

"I'm offended. Blackmail is such an ugly word. Besides, what I'm asking for is hardly illegal. All I ask is for your daughter to apologize to Sayo-san for her actions this morning, something which I'm sure any proper parent would have their child do in this kind of situation. In exchange for an apology, preferably public, I will be willing to forget this whole ugly episode ever happened."

"And if Rei-san doesn't apologize?" Keitaro questioned.

"If she doesn't, well…" Tanaka's lips curled into a positively malicious sneer as he patted his hand against the letter in his jacket pocket. "Let's just say I can make your chances of ever winning a seat in the Diet nothing more than a shattered dream."

Hearing that, Keitaro leaned back in his chair and frowned. It was all starting to come together. Revenge - that was what Tanaka wanted. The old man was still upset about losing the 1978 election and was determined to make him pay. Keitaro doubted if Tanaka even cared whether or not Rei apologized to his granddaughter. All Tanaka wanted was the means to destroy his career.

"Are you so hungry for revenge, you would stoop that low, Tanaka-san?" he asked in a low voice, struggling not to lose his cool in front of his rival. "The elections were fourteen years ago. I would hope by now you would have gotten over this silly grudge you have against me. It's not as if I ruined your entire career. You've done very well for yourself since then."

"Perhaps so, but you still stole the one thing I wanted most." Standing from his seat, Tanaka outstretched his arms to indicate the room around him. "The governor's office - this all could have been mine, _should_ have been mine. I was so close, Hino. So close I could practically taste the power. If not for the little stunt you pulled at the debate, I would be the one behind that ridiculously expensive desk, and you would still be nothing more than an Assembly member. It should have been me."

"What happened at the debate was hardly a 'stunt'," Keitaro declared softly as memories of that night came flooding back. "In case you've forgotten, my wife was in labor and almost died. Do you honestly think I planned that? Because, I assure you, that night was one of the worst nights I've ever experienced. I would not wish that kind of torture even on my worst enemy, not even you."

"Spare me the sob story. You know as well as I do the only reason you were elected in the first place is because the voters felt sorry for you."

Keitaro almost wanted to laugh, but didn't. Funny how Tanaka seemed to have conveniently forgotten how close they were in the polls or how horribly he had performed at the debate. Even if what Tanaka said was true and some people had only voted for him out of sympathy, he doubted it had any real effect on the results. That Keitaro was going to win the election was almost a given. He had thoroughly defeated Tanaka in the subsequent debates.

"Tanaka-san, if you didn't win the election, it was your own fault, not mine," Keitaro said, reaching for some papers he needed for his upcoming meeting after taking a quick glance at his Rolex. As far as he was concerned, their conversation was over. "I trust you can show yourself out. I was expected at a meeting at six, and I'm afraid I'm already late, so if you will excuse me…"

Keitaro stood to leave, but Tanaka was quicker than him and effectively blocked the doorway. "Do you intend to talk to your daughter about her behavior?" he asked. "Or will your exalted name be dragged into yet another scandal? It's your decision, Hino - apology or scandal."

"I will see what I can do," Keitaro answered, willing to say almost anything to get the man to leave so he could get to his meeting with some environmental lobbyists. Tanaka Yoshiyuki was one of the few people alive who could get under his skin. "I'm not making any promises, though. If Rei-san honestly feels sorry for her actions, I'm sure she will do the right thing and apologize. If not, then I hope you will be the bigger man for once in your life and drop these ridiculous threats."

"Don't count of it, Hino. She better apologize or else."

With that final threat, the man dropped the arm blocking Keitaro's way and left without even as much as a goodbye.

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Uchizawa Minoru might not have been the best student in the world during his younger, more carefree days, but over the years, he had developed into a prominent businessman, becoming a top executive at Nintendo, mostly in charge of the international divisions. His job meant he was often away on frequent business trips, but for the moment, Minoru was home in Tokyo at his main office, making a few last preparations for his upcoming trip to Redwood, Washington for a meeting with the head of Nintendo of America, Inc. that weekend.

Or to be more truthful, he was conducting some very important "product research" on his handheld Gameboy.

"Yes! 10,000 points! Minoru, you are the man!… Okay, don't lose focus. Only need 5,000 more to beat my high score… Get those coins, Mario… No, watch out for the fireballs!… Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Get out of the -"

A loud knock on the door broke his intense concentration, and as Minoru swore violently at the "Game Over" screen on his console, an attractive blonde bombshell - a dead ringer for Rosa from _Final Fantasy IV_ , one of Minoru's favorite games - entered the office. There was a look of clear amusement in her eyes as she watched her boss quickly turn back around in his chair and hide his Gameboy under a thick stack of papers, clearing his throat with authority.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting something, Uchizawa-san," she said sweetly, closing the door behind her.

"N-No, not at all!" he insisted, retying his tie which he had undone sometime during his game. "I was…uh…uh..."

"Playing _Super Mario Bros._ again?"

She knew him too well.

"Product research," he said, tapping the side of his nose. "How do you think I got so far in this company? I know the product inside and out."

"Of course," the secretary said dryly as she walked over and pulled out his plane ticket, hopping up to sit on the edge of his desk. She crossed her mile-long legs tantalizingly at the knees, showing them off to her best advantage, and Minoru gave them an appreciative stare. "This arrived for you a few minutes ago - first class to Seattle, Washington, with a short layover in New York. A private jet will fly you directly to Redwood."

"Great!" Minoru took the offered ticket and checked the boarding information before placing it in his pocket so he wouldn't leave it behind. Good, he had gotten a window seat. "Did you remember to make the hotel reservations, Amaya-san?"

Amaya flipped through her notebook and made a note with her pencil, placing it behind her ear once she was done. "Yes, Uchizawa-san," she said. "You're booked at the Hilton Hotel, your usual suite. Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of making a reservation at that restaurant you like for your meeting with Smith-san on Saturday."

"Thank you, that sounds great," Minoru said, shooting her a charming smile. "You always know exactly what I want."

"Well, I do aim to please." Tossing her notebook aside, Amaya leaned back on the desk, shaking her luxurious blonde hair in a flirtatious manner, and his smile widened. "Anything you want is yours - and I do mean, anything."

As tempting as her offer was - and it was very tempting - Minoru leaned back in his chair and shook his head, still wearing the smile. Their flirtation had become very much a game between them, one he looked forward to whenever they had a spare moment at the office. Neither took the attraction seriously, but they both enjoyed it just the same.

"Amaya-san, we've been over this before," he explained, using his "stern" voice as he wagged a finger at the blonde-haired seductress. "It's against company policy."

Ruby red lips curled into a seductive pout. "Oh, pooh!" she huffed indignantly. "If I had known working for you meant I wouldn't be able to get in your pants, I never would have taken this job."

He smirked. "Then maybe I should fire you."

"Maybe you should."

The redhead pretended to contemplate the suggestion just as the telephone sitting on the side of his desk began ringing, its shrill tone reminding them, unfortunately, that there was work to be done. Sighing, Minoru reached for the receiver, but was stopped by a slap on the hand by Amaya.

"I'll get that," she said, sitting back up to reach for the phone. "After all, I am still your secretary, aren't I?"

"Hmm… Not if you keep wearing those short mini-skirts to the office, you aren't. Hasn't anybody ever told you they're against dress code?"

"Nope, my boss doesn't seem to have a problem with them," she quipped.

"He doesn't?" Minoru once again inspected her legs, placing a finger on his chin in thought. "Well, I can think of one objection he has to them."

"What's that?"

"They're too long."

Rolling her eyes, Amaya brought the receiver to her ear as Minoru spun around in his chair, his hands folded behind his head. Sometimes, he really loved his job. Good pay, lots of travel, all the free video games he could want, and a sexy secretary - what more could he need?

"You have reached the office of Uchizawa Minoru-san. How may I help you?" he heard Amaya say, answering the phone call. To her credit, not only was she unbelievably attractive, she also was very efficient and professional when the situation called for it. "Hino-sama? Yes, Uchizawa-san is here. I'll put him on right away."

At the mention of his best friend's name, Minoru abruptly stopped his spinning, surprised. He hadn't heard from Keitaro in quite a while, not since about two months ago, when they had gone out to dinner to celebrate a huge deal he had closed for the company. Minoru wondered why he was calling, especially during business hours.

"Is that Hino Keitaro-sama?" he asked Amaya.

Nodding, the secretary pressed the receiver up against her chest. "I didn't know you knew the governor, Uchizawa-san," she said.

"Yes, we've been friends ever since we were kids - almost like brothers."

"Really?" She sighed longingly, pretending to act like a lovelorn teenager. "Do you think you could set us up on a date? I mean, there's no company policy against me dating one of your friends, is there?"

Minoru chuckled. That girl never gave up, did she? "I'm afraid you're not really his type, Amaya-san," he informed her, his eyes suddenly darkening in sadness. "Besides, Keitaro hasn't dated since his wife died about eight years ago."

Her lovely face fell. "Pity. Hino-sama's even more handsome than you are."

"Hey, are you trying to get yourself fired?" he asked, raising an amused eyebrow in the giggling secretary's direction.

"Okay, he's almost as handsome as you are."

"Too late," he teased. "Now, give me the phone and tell accounting to go over the last quarter numbers for SNES sales in the U.S. I want the final spreadsheet on my desk before I leave for the airport. Oh, and have advertising send me their preliminary plans for the promotion of _Final Fantasy V_ and _Shin Megami Tensei_ , as well as _Mega Man III_."

"Yes, sir."

After handing him the phone, Amaya bounced off the desk and walked to the door, her hips swinging back and forth in an exaggerated manner as he watched her leave. Minoru smiled to himself, thinking it really was a pity they couldn't date as long as she was his secretary, and then turned his attention to the phone in his hand.

"Sorry about that, Keitaro," he said, apologizing for the delay. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"That's fine, Minoru-kun. I wasn't waiting long."

"So, why the call? You normally don't call me at the office. Is something wrong?"

There was a sigh on the other end, and Minoru imagined his friend was rubbing his forehead in the all-too-familiar habit of the stressed-out politician. He often told Keitaro he needed to take a vacation, but as always, his friend failed to take his advice, claiming he was fine. Sometimes, Minoru wondered why he even bothered anymore.

"You could say that," Keitaro said after a short pause. "I had an interesting visit today with Tanaka Yoshiyuki-san at my office."

"Tanaka-san? You mean the man you ran against in the '78 elections?" Minoru remembered the smarmy politician well.

"The one and only."

"But I thought you told me he said he would never step foot into the governor's office as long as you were in charge."

"Yes, well, apparently, he thought threatening me was more important than keeping some silly oath."

Alarmed, Minoru sat up in his chair. "He threatened you?" he asked. "How? Did you call the police?"

"No, it was nothing that serious," Keitaro assured him, though Minoru still had his doubts. "He didn't threaten to hurt me physically."

"Then what?"

Keitaro explained what happened, telling him about how Rei had slapped Tanaka's granddaughter earlier that day before homeroom and how Tanaka wanted Rei to apologize or else he would press assault charges and leak the story to the media. Minoru found it rather hard to believe his sweet goddaughter would actually hit another girl, but he knew Keitaro would never lie about such a thing.

"So, let me see if I got this right," Minoru said after Keitaro had finished his explanation. "You're telling me that if Rei-chan doesn't apologize for slapping his granddaughter, Tanaka plans to use the assault as a means to cause a scandal?"

"Yes, unfortunately, that's exactly what I'm saying."

"That's ridiculous!" Minoru pounded his fist on his desk, silently cursing the vengeful politician. Couldn't Tanaka let bygones simply be bygones? "I can't believe he would stoop so low as to use a fight between his granddaughter and Rei-chan for his own personal vendetta against you."

"I know. If this only involved me, I wouldn't worry so much. Tanaka-san may talk big, but I can handle him in the political arena. However, he's dragging Rei-san into this, and I'm afraid she might get into some real trouble if she doesn't go through with an apology. I highly doubt Tanaka-san would hesitate to press charges against her, and his brother-in-law is the superintendent of the Keishichou."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Actually, there is," Keitaro said softly, sounding almost reluctant. "I was hoping you could go to Hikawa this evening and warn Rei-san and Kondo-sama of what may happen."

"Go to Hikawa?" Minoru repeated, running his fingers through his hair. "You know I normally wouldn't hesitate, Keitaro, but I'm leaving for the States tonight for a business trip. I don't know if I would have time. Besides, perhaps it would be better if they heard the news from you."

"No, I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why not?"

Keitaro sighed on the other end. "It's just not a good idea, Minoru-kun. Rei-san will be more receptive to your advice. She trusts you and respects your opinion."

Minoru frowned. It was true he and Rei had a better relationship than father and daughter, but he didn't really feel right about getting involved in their private family affairs. Ever since Rei moved to Hikawa, he had tried his best not to interfere. "But -"

"Please. I know you care about her her, Minoru-kun."

Minoru reluctantly agreed, though he still felt Keitaro should be the one to talk to Rei. "Okay, I'll go."

"Thank you."

They said goodbye, and Minoru hung up the phone. Then he turned around and surveyed the view through his window, his breath hissing through his teeth in frustration. Takara had been dead now for about eight years, and Rei had been living at the shrine for almost the same amount of time. Everyone seemed to have accepted this state of affairs –- everyone but Minoru. Despite his knowledge of Keitaro's past and his doubts about giving Rei a good home, every instinct that Minoru possessed told him that keeping Rei at arm's length was not doing Keitaro any good. In fact, he was only delaying the inevitable confrontation between him and his daughter. Minoru had no doubt that one day this would all blow up in Keitaro's face, yet he blindly continued living his life, seeing Rei-chan only a few times a year, if that. It should have been him talking to his daughter –- she was the one in trouble, he was the one who had been threatened. But once again, Keitaro had run away, and it was Minoru who had to do his dirty work.

Sighing, Minoru wondered how he was going to explain things to Rei. To think that five minutes ago he had been worried about Mario getting toasted by fireballs –- being a grown-up was far more complicated than he would ever have imagined.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That evening, Rei was scrubbing the hardboard floors of the porch by hand, her punishment for slapping Sayo, when she noticed a male figure walking underneath the torii toward her. The shadows of night concealed his identity from view, but there was nothing threatening about his easy stride, so she threw her sponge back into her pail of soapy water and stood, wondering who would visit the shrine at such a late hour. It was almost nine o'clock.

"May I help you?" she called out, wiping her wet, raw hands on her red-and-white miko's robes. "I'm sorry the office is closed, if you wanted to buy a charm or fortune. However, we'll be open tomorrow, so you can come back then."

"Oh, darn, and I wanted a charm to ensure a safe flight," a very familiar voice answered back, not sounding particularly disappointed.

The door slid open at that moment as her grandfather stepped out to investigate the late-night visitor. "Rei-chan, is there somebody out -?" The light from inside revealed a pleasant grin and flame-red hair. "Oh, Uchizawa-san, what a nice surprise!" he said. "We weren't expecting you."

Minoru stopped at the foot of the steps and bowed politely. "Good evening, Kondo-sama, Rei-chan," he greeted them. "I'm sorry for intruding at such a late hour. Is this a bad time?"

Saburo shook his head. "No, not at all. Please, come inside. Rei-chan will prepare some tea, won't you?"

Beside him, Rei nodded, a bright smile on her face. It was always a treatwhen her godfather came to visit. "Of course!" she said, turning to go back inside. "I'll get started on it right away. Is green tea okay?"

The man held up his hand, signaling her not to bother. "That's not necessary, Rei-chan," he insisted. "I can only stay for a few minutes. I'm on my way to the airport."

"Oh." Disappointed he couldn't stay for long, Rei turned back around. "Well, we don't want to cause you to be late for your flight. Perhaps some other time."

"I'd like that. Some other time, I promise."

"May I ask why have you come then, Uchizawa-san?" her grandfather asked.

The redhead sighed, his relaxed look changing to a serious one in the blink of an eye. "Keitaro sent me to talk to you."

"Otou-sama?" Rei's eyes narrowed in suspicion at the mention of her father's name. Hino Keitaro rarely took an active interest in her life at Hikawa, so she was understandably doubtful of Minoru's claim. "What does he want?"

His hands in his pockets, Minoru glanced around the quiet shrine as if he half-expected some hoodlum to jump out and attack him. Of course, there was nobody else around except for Phobos and Deimos, who were playing their usual games nearby, but the redhead still didn't look comfortable. "May I come inside first?" he asked. "I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to have outside."

Her grandfather stepped aside, motioning him to enter. "Please do, Uchizawa-san. You know you are always welcome in our home."

"Thank you, Kondo-sama."

Accepting the invitation, the businessman walked up the porch steps and entered the modest living quarters, Saburo and Rei following right on his heels after exchanging puzzled looks behind his back. Neither had any idea what was going on. Minoru was acting so strangely.

Once everybody was settled around the low table in the middle of the main living area, sitting on the assorted pillows that served as chairs, Rei looked at her godfather. Minoru seemed to be avoiding her gaze, staring at the table instead. Disappointed and faintly irritated with such behavior from a man who was usually so honest, Rei looked down at her folded hands, wondering what was going on.

"What is it you needed to tell us, Uchizawa-san?" her grandfather asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. "Has Hino-sama fallen ill?"

"No, nothing like that," Minoru assured them, nodding in Rei's direction. "My news concerns Rei-chan."

"Me?" Rei looked up at hearing her name, surprised. For a brief moment, she entertained the thought her father had finally decided to allow her to move back into the manor, a hope she had thought had died long ago, but the stern look on her godfather's face told her this was not happy news. "What about me?" she demanded.

"I understand you got into some trouble this morning at school."

"Oh." Embarrassed, she bowed her head, trying to hide the faint blush painted across her cheeks. So that was what this was all about. The school must have informed her father about what had happened. "Yes, Uchizawa-san, I did."

Reaching across the table, her grandfather placed a comforting hand over her own. "Rei-chan was simply standing up for me," he explained. "I'm sure you are aware of the… happenings around here lately. It's been very tough for the both of us, but especially for Rei-chan. While I don't approve of the way she handled things with Tanaka-san, I do understand why she did what she did. I assure you, Uchizawa-san, I have punished her properly, and now I hope we can put the whole incident behind us."

"I only wish it could be that easy, Kondo-sama," Minoru said regretfully, taking a deep breath. "That's why I'm here. This is far from over; in fact, it may be only just beginning."

Hearing that, Rei and her grandfather glanced at each other. The fear in Rei's heart gripped at her throat, closing it up, leaving her body cold. Her grandfather could see Rei's pallor, so he decided to speak for her.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. The school said Rei-chan would not face further punishment unless she became a repeat offender."

"That is the Academy's position on the matter. Unfortunately, Rei-chan could still be facing criminal assault charges."

Her grandfather's face went white at the news, and Rei felt a little light-headed herself. This couldn't be happening! It was only a slap. It wasn't as if she had punched Sayo in her snotty, turned-up nose or given her a black eye. By the time class ended, the welt on her cheek had completely disappeared, and Sayo seemed to have forgotten what had happened, laughing and gossiping with her clique as if she didn't have a care in the world. Nobody was seriously hurt, so why bring in the police?

Frowning, Rei couldn't help the cynical thought that if Sayo had slapped her, there wouldn't have been half as much fuss. She looked at Minoru, still not quite sure what was going on. "Assault charges? As in, I might go to jail?"

"I doubt it would come to that, since you are a juvenile and this is your first offense with no prior history of violence. However, there is the possibility of heavy fines and/or probation."

"But why?" Rei asked.

"Do you know Tanaka Yoshiyuki-san?"

"I know of him, and I remember meeting him once when I was younger. He's Sayo-san's grandfather, as well as an old political rival of otou-sama's. What about him?"

"Well, Tanaka-san came by your father's office this afternoon. He insists you apologize to his granddaughter or else he will press charges against you and cause a scandal for Keitaro."

"What?" Rei exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. "There is no way I am ever going to apologize to that girl! I refuse to do it! Not after what she said about ojii-san. She doesn't deserve my apology."

Her face was flushed with anger, and her hands were clenched. Rei couldn't believe Sayo's nerve. At that moment, she didn't care if she was put on probation or had to pay a fine. She refused to let Sayo win as she had won all through elementary and middle school.

"Rei-chan, please calm down," her grandfather ordered, gently tugging at the bottom her robes. "Losing your temper will not do anything to solve this problem."

Taking the hint, Rei settled back down on her pillow, but she couldn't mask her anger. Why did he always have to be so calm about everything? She knew her grandfather had to be just as upset about Tanaka's threat as she was, so why didn't he show it?

"I won't do it, ojii-san," she said in a firm, but quiet, voice. "I am not at all sorry for what I did to that witch. The only thing I'm sorry about is disappointing you."

"But, Rei-chan, Tanaka-san has the power to cause a lot of problems for you and your father," Minoru said, his green eyes sympathetic as he reached across the table for her clenched hand. "I know you don't want to do it, but apologizing to the girl is your best option. Nobody wants to see you hurt by this."

Saburo nodded in agreement. "Uchizawa-san speaks the truth, little one. You did slap the girl, and while I know you had good reason, it is only proper to extend an apology."

Aghast, Rei stared at her grandfather as if he had completely lost his mind. She could understand why Minoru would want her to apologize, since her father's career was also threatened by Tanaka, but Saburo was as much hurt by Sayo's hateful words as she was. How could he sit there, knowing full well the reason why she had slapped Sayo, and tell her she was the one who needed to apologize?

"I can't believe you," she whispered harshly. "How could you suggest such a thing, knowing what she said about you? If anything, she should be the one apologizing, not me."

"Rei-chan, sometimes in these kinds of situations you need to be the bigger person," Saburo said. "It may be humiliating and seem unfair at the time, but by not apologizing, you are no better than she is. Who knows? Perhaps she will be so touched by your gesture, Tanaka-san will find it in her heart to offer her own apology."

Rei scoffed. "I doubt it, ojii-san. That girl has no heart."

"Rei-chan!"

The miko sighed, knowing she was being unnecessarily mean. It wasn't like her to be so spiteful, but Tanaka Sayo seemed to bring out the worst in her. As it was, it was a miracle she had been able to hold her feelings in as long as she had. Her intense dislike of the catty snob had been steadily increasing ever since the day she heard Sayo call her a freak in the cafeteria, and it had only been a matter a time before she exploded. There was only so much one person could take. In Rei's eyes, she had gotten off easy compared through the torture Sayo had put her through on a daily basis, and her words, if anything, were too kind.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. Pigs will fly and cats will talk before Tanaka Sayo-san ever apologizes."

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean you can't," Saburo said. "Please, just apologize. If not for yourself, then do it for me. I can't bear the thought of you being brought to court over something so foolish."

"But -"

She looked alternately at both her grandfather and her godfather, searching for any way out of having to give the apology, but their faces showed the men were both in complete agreement over what course of action she should take. Defeated, she lowered her head.

"Fine, I'll apologize," Rei declared softly, "but I'm not going to like it."


	12. Soldier Of Fire, Part II

The rumors about the evil six o'clock bus were still running rampant when Usagi entered her classroom the next morning, making it just in time before the bell rang. Everywhere she looked, her classmates were excitedly discussing the latest kidnappings and offering their own theories about what had happened.

At another time, Usagi probably would have been right in the thick of things, putting forth her opinion and eager to hear what others might have to say. Along with eating, sleeping, and video games, gossiping was one of her favorite pastimes. However, after her visit to the Hikawa shrine and meeting the beautiful miko who lived there the previous day, she had no desire to join in on the eager speculation. Usagi couldn't forget the hurt in the girl's eyes when they had overheard those two women with the missing daughters talking about the suspicions surrounding the shrine. It had upset her more than the miko had been willing to let on, and to engage in the same behavior, even if Rei wasn't around, seemed incredibly mean.

Resting her chin in her hands, Usagi sighed. Hino Rei… She was an enigmatic person. Usagi didn't know quite what to think of her. Rei had seemed kind enough - except for when she had mistakenly tried to exorcize her - and she was without question one of the most beautiful girls she had ever met, but Usagi's budding senses as a senshi warned her that she shouldn't immediately trust the miko. It was possible that she might an enemy, especially considering the bus disappearances that had occurred near her family's shrine.

Usagi hoped not, though. Even though she didn't know Rei very well, Usagi wanted to become friends with mysterious miko. Rei was everything she was not - attractive, elegant, calm, dedicated. A person like her would be great to have as a friend. Maybe some of Rei's poise would rub off on her…

Behind her, Usagi felt the sharp jab of a pencil eraser in her back, breaking her from her thoughts. "Earth to Usagi-chan," her best friend Osaka Naru whispered as their teacher warned the students to be careful on their way home. "Is something bothering you? You're really out of it today, even more than usual."

Usagi shook her head, turning around in her desk to face the cute redhead. "No, nothing's wrong," she lied, wishing not for the first time she could tell Naru about her secret life as Sailor Moon. "I guess I was just thinking about the phantom bus."

"Yeah, I know. It's on everybody's mind."

"I think it's a kidnapping ring, don't you, Usagi-chan?" a nearby Umino, who, as always, was eavesdropping on their private conversation, asked.

"I don't know what to think," Usagi said softly, unusually subdued in the presence of her friends. Naru and Umino exchanged confused looks at her behavior, but before they could ask what was really bothering her, Miss Sakurada announced it was time for class to begin, so the three turned back around in their seats and passed forward the previous night's homework.

The rest of the day passed by in a fog, a blur of classes and tests that might as well have been in Greek for all the attention Usagi gave them. Walking outside to meet Luna after switching shoes once the final bell had rung, she cringed to think of how badly she did on her kanji test. There was another failing grade for sure. Her mother would be furious, but at the moment, the wrath of Tsukino Ikuko was only a faint worry in the back of her mind. She had more pressing matters to concern herself with.

"This is suspicious," Luna declared as Usagi walked up to her and gathered the feline in her arms, not even bothering to say hello or to ask how school had gone. Apparently, the black cat had been having the same thoughts that had plagued her all through the day's classes. "I sense the enemy may be at work. I think we need to investigate these disappearing buses a little more closely. Let's go to Sendaizakaue and meet with that miko again. I get a strange feeling from her. Perhaps Rei-chan might be one of our allies."

Usagi frowned, starting down the street. "Or Rei-chan could be working for the enemy," she suggested, remembering her thoughts from earlier. "A lot of people think the Hikawa shrine has something to do with the disappearances, although I don't want to think that…"

Impressed, Luna looked up and winked. "Wow, you're getting better," she said. "You're starting to sound like a true senshi."

Her nose wrinkled in distaste, Usagi shook her head. She hadn't realized it before, but Luna was right. She was talking and thinking more like a proper senshi. That cat was starting to become a bad influence on her. "I do, don't I?" she lamented. "When did that happen?"

"Don't sound so depressed about it, Usagi-chan. This is a good thing. You've finally begun accepting who you are."

"But I don't wanna be Sailor Moon!" she whined. "It's no fun at all - nothing like the _Sailor V_ games. The only good things to come out of this whole cosmic fiasco is meeting Ami-chan and Tuxedo Kamen-sama, and even then, I still don't know who he really is."

Usagi's heart gave a little _thump-thump_ as her tuxedo-clad protector's masked face appeared in her mind. She wondered what he really looked like behind that white domino mask. He certainly cut a dashing figure, but what if underneath it all, Tuxedo Kamen was nothing more than a geek like Umino?

No, her hero would definitely be a handsome prince, she decided. There was no doubt about that. There was absolutely no way she would continuously put herself in danger only to discover her dream man was a nerd. She simply would not allow it!

"Hey, Usagi-chan, there's the bus," Luna said as they approached the bus stop at the corner of the street.

"Huh?" Usagi grunted, breaking her thoughts away from a certain mystery man at the cat's words. She looked up at the oncoming bus and vigorously began shaking her head in refusal. "No way! Getting on the bus is scary! I don't want to, Luna!"

"Would you rather walk all the way to Sendaizakaue? It must be a good five or six blocks away from here. Besides, this will be a good chance to investigate."

"But don't you think we should have Ami-chan come with us? She's probably much better with this kind of thing then I am."

"There's no time. Just get on board. You'll be fine."

Usagi didn't trust the cat's promise, but swallowing her fear, she boarded the bus which had stopped in front of them and made her way to an empty seat in the back near some guy in glasses with his nose in a thick textbook. "If anything happens, Luna, it's your fault," she told the feline.

"It's okay, Usagi-chan. It's only five o'clock, and supposedly, it's the six o'clock bus which disappears. You should contact Ami-chan with your new communicator and tell her-" Abruptly, the black cat stopped talking and began wiggling wildly in Usagi's arms, meowing as if she were trying to tell her something.

Usagi tilted her head in mild confusion at the cat, wondering what was going on to make Luna act so crazy. It wasn't as if anybody was listening to their conversation. The dork in the glasses was too absorbed in his book to pay attention to anything they had to say. "What's wrong, Luna?" she asked. "What are you trying to say?"

"Yes, Luna," a deep voice beside her echoed. "Do speak up."

Slowly, Usagi turned her head to her left and wished she would die right then and there. The dork had finally put away his schoolbook, and much to her complete chagrin, she recognized him as none other than her frequent tormentor and nemesis, the man she had used as a human trashcan on the day she met Luna. "What? You again!" she shrieked.

"Don't use such a shrill voice, odango-atama," the man said, coolly peering at her from over his glasses with cobalt blue eyes. "We seem to meet often. If I didn't know better, I would think you were following me."

Usagi huffed and folded her arms over her chest. The nerve of that man! "Don't flatter yourself, pretty boy. I have better things to do with my time than to follow a jerk like you around, thank you very much," she declared. "And don't call me that horrid name. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I always take this bus home from school."

"No way! You're a normal junior high student like me?"

"I'm obviously in high school," he said dryly, reaching into his book bag. He pulled out his student ID and held it up for her to read. "Here, need proof?"

"'Chiba Mamoru, Moto Azabu High School, junior class,'" she read aloud. So his name was Mamoru. Funny how she never thought to ask before now, but then again, why would she want to know the name of the arrogant jerk? She could think of a million other names, most of them inappropriate for polite conversation, that suited him more. "Well, I guess if you take this bus, you know about the evil six o'clock bus."

Mamoru slipped off his reading glasses and placed them in the pocket of his school blazer. "Yes, I am aware of the rumors," he said. "It's this route, right? Strange things are always happening in this area… Odango-atama? Odango-atama?"

Usagi barely heard his words, staring at her companion's profile as her heart gave a familiar thump-thump. Without his glasses, Mamoru was remarkably handsome - not that he wasn't before, of course. His deep sapphire eyes shone with intelligence, and ink black hair fell attractively over his forehead, giving him an air of mystery. He reminded her of somebody.

He reminded her of Tuxedo Kamen.

A deep, scarlet blush painted her cheeks and nose at the thought. What was she thinking? Chiba Mamoru was not her secret protector. He was too mean to be her knight in a black tuxedo. She was just imagining things because of what she had been thinking about before she and Luna boarded the bus, that's all. It wouldn't be the first time she had mistaken real life for a daydream.

But then why was her heart beating so fast? Why did she feel so warm?

Noticing Mamoru was staring at her as well, Usagi shook her head and pushed the thoughts away. He probably figured she was some kind of lovesick schoolgirl, and knowing Mamoru, he would use her behavior as ammunition for future insults. She prepared herself for another sarcastic remark about her having some kind of crush on him, but surprisingly, Mamoru said nothing, continuing to stare just at intently at her as she had him.

To be honest, he was beginning to creep her out. Usagi wiggled uncomfortably in her seat. What kind of lewd thoughts were going through that guy's head? Her father always did say high school boys only had one thing on their mind…

"Soldier of justice…"

Usagi nearly jumped out of her school uniform at the words, and in her lap, Luna's fur stood up like the needles of a porcupine. He knew? How could he possibly know she was Sailor Moon?

"WHAT?" she shouted a little bit louder than she had meant. A couple of people near the back of the bus where they were sitting turned around to see what the fuss was about, but they returned to their own little worlds when they saw it was nothing more than a girl talking to a guy, probably engaged in some kind of lover's spat.

Mamoru covered his mouth with his hand, a faint blush forming over the bridge of his nose. "Uh, nothing…" he said. "It was nothing."

Nothing? Out of the blue, he suddenly calls her the "soldier of justice," and it was nothing? A slip of the tongue? Usagi didn't believe him for a second. If it was nothing, then why did he seem so embarrassed by it?

The bus driver took that moment to announce they had reached the next stop. Fortunately, it her stop, Sendaizakaue, right in front of the Hikawa shrine. Usagi couldn't get off the bus fast enough, a blur of yellow and blue as she shot to the front, and she didn't even bother to say goodbye to Mamoru, wanting to get as far away as possible from the perceptive man with the beautiful blue eyes.

How could he have known?

"Th-That startled me," Usagi stuttered as she and Luna watched the bus drive away. She was short of breath, and her heart pounded loudly against her chest. "How did he know, Luna? He couldn't possibly know who I am, could he? Maybe it was just a lucky guess, or maybe he simply saw a _Sailor V_ poster…"

"I don't know; he's pretty sharp," Luna said. "I think you should contact Ami-chan on the communicator. She might be able to gather some information on this Chiba Mamoru-san. He might be an enemy."

 _Or he might be Tuxedo Kamen_ , Usagi thought to herself, remembering what she had been thinking right before Mamoru had called her the soldier of justice. She didn't dare tell Luna that, though, knowing her guardian cat wasn't exactly trustful of the masked man either.

"I'll call Ami-chan later," Usagi promised, starting up the long flight of steps leading to the shrine, the black cat right at her heels. "She's probably in one of her cram school classes right now, and I shouldn't interrupt unless it's absolutely necessary."

Luna agreed, and the two of them made their way up to the shrine, where they found the beautiful miko talking to a trio of patrons. One of them Usagi remembered as Mrs. Akiyama, the mother of one of the young girls who had supposedly disappeared on the evil six o'clock bus a few days ago. They were just close enough, though hidden from view, to hear the heated discussion going on between the worried mother and Rei.

"We want you to use your special powers to predict where our daughters are, Rei-chan," Mrs. Akiyama said. "Please, we're begging you. With your gifts, I'm sure you could find them for us."

From their spot, they could see miko's amethyst eyes were filled with regret. "Akiyama-san, I know you're worried about Mii-chan and want to find her, but I'm afraid I can't help you," Rei informed the parents. "I can't always control when my powers will work. If you want to find the girls' specific location for certain, it is best to leave it to the police instead."

"But the police have no real leads. They are as baffled by this case as we are."

"I'm sorry," Rei apologized. "I wish I could do more to help, I really do, but I can't. All I can do is offer prayers to the gods for the safe return of your daughter and the others."

Mrs. Akiyama was not satisfied with that answer. "Can't you be more agreeable at a time like this?" she snapped, her hazel eyes narrowing in anger. "Our family contributes a large amount of money to this shrine. The least you can do is help us in our time of need."

"I'm sorry, Akiyama-san…"

"We came all the way to this shrine to ask for your help and this is how we are treated?" By that time, the mother was nearly hysterical, though Rei somehow managed to keep a calm exterior. "With all the strange powers your family has, I wouldn't be surprised if you did have something to do with the disappearances. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but now I'm not so sure. I bet you know exactly where Mii-chan and the others are and you won't tell us."

Rei's hands balled into tight fists at her side. "I assure you that is not the case -"

"I don't want to hear it, Rei-chan. If you and your family have nothing to do with the kidnappings, then help us!"

"I told you I can't!" the usually polite miko shouted, apparently reaching the end of her rope. She pointed toward the torii, anger burning in her gaze. "If all you are going to do is throw accusations at me and ojii-san, then leave this holy shrine! Go!"

"Why, you rude little girl!"

"Go!"

With an indignant huff, Mrs. Akiyama turned to leave, the couple with her following right behind, as Rei ran off somewhere to calm her temper. Usagi and Luna waited until the parents were gone before they stepped out from their hiding place behind the torii.

"Poor Rei-chan…" Usagi murmured. It wasn't her fault she wasn't able to help locate the missing girls. She couldn't imagine the pain the miko was going through at the moment. It must be tough for her to deal with the accusations. Usagi felt horrible for thinking Rei had anything to do with the enemy.

Luna, however, wasn't so easily persuaded. "I still don't know if Rei-chan is an ally or enemy," she said. "And if the enemy is at work here, I can't read their intentions. What purpose would our enemy have for a group of schoolgirls? Why aren't they searching for the Ginzuishou?"

"The enemy wants the Ginzuishou, too?"

The black cat sighed. "Yes, they do, and we must find it before they do, or the entire world might be in danger."

 _Oh, great_ , Usagi thought as they began their investigation. Yet another thing they had to worry about...

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From her seat on the steps leading up to the porch, Rei hid her face in her hands and exhaled. It didn't do much to soothe her anger, but it was better than nothing.

She was so tired of this! When would the suspicions and accusations stop? Even people who had once been their strongest supporters, like the Akiyamas, were beginning to question their innocence. She couldn't understand it. What had they done to earn their suspicion? Why were people so willing to believe the worst about them?

"Hino, there you are," a familiar voice said, interrupting her thoughts. "We've been looking for you."

Cringing, Rei looked up from her hands at the unfriendly voice, finding a group of girls standing a few feet away from where she sat. Their green-haired leader stood at the forefront, hands on her hips and a distasteful expression on her face, while the rest formed a formidable line behind her. Rei couldn't help thinking they were like a small army preparing for battle, and she sighed.

Could her day get any worse?

"Tanaka-san, what are you doing here?" Rei asked, slowly standing from her seat on the stairs.

Sayo tossed her hair over her shoulder, regarding Rei with a hard eye. "Certainly not for tea and cookies, I assure you," she said. "This was hardly my idea, but ojii-sama said you had something to tell me, so spit it out so we can leave. I don't want to spend a second longer here at this creepy shrine than necessary."

 _Oh, the apology_. Rei inwardly groaned. Somehow, she had hoped last night's conversation with Minoru and her grandfather had only been some kind of horrible dream. She still felt no need to apologize for her actions the previous day, but she had promised. Might as well get it over with before she recovered her dignity.

"Yes, there is something I wanted to tell you," Rei said, walking over to the girls. She was purposely slow in coming, trying to decide if there was some way she could apologize for slapping Sayo without actually apologizing.

Mai, Sayo's purple-haired sidekick, rolled her eyes. "This ought to be good," she muttered.

"Now, now, Mai-chan, let Hino speak," Sayo said, holding up a finger. "I think, for once, she might say something I actually want to hear."

Rei drew in a deep breath to calm her simmering temper and bowed low toward her adversary, utterly humiliated. "Tanaka-san, yesterday I did something I shouldn't have done, and I would like to offer you a humble…a humble…"

She stumbled over the words. She couldn't say it. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but her voice refused to say them aloud. Slowly, she rose from her bowing position and stared Sayo straight in the eye.

"Come on, Hino, spit it out already," Sayo ordered, glancing down at her watch. A leather-clad foot tapped impatiently against the cobblestone walkway. "We don't have all day, you know. I have better things to do than waiting for you to apologize for your behavior yesterday. Just say you're sorry so we can go."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you came here for nothing," Rei finally said, her voice cool as ice. "If you were expecting an apology from me for what I did, then you will have to deal with disappointment, because there is no way I will ever apologize to you. The only thing I'm sorry for is that I didn't hit you harder when I had the chance."

Satisfaction filled her heart as Sayo's mouth dropped open in shock and a loud murmur rose from the other girls. They evidently had not expected that.

"You do know what will happen if you refuse to apologize, don't you?" Sayo asked, once she recovered from her the blow. Her eyes narrowed in anger as she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to look threatening. "Ojii-sama will have the police press charges against you, causing a huge scandal for your already dishonored family."

"Yes, I'm well aware of his threats, Tanaka-san," Rei said, flipping her own hair over her shoulder in a perfect imitation of her rival. "Too much of a coward to face me yourself, I suppose, crying to your grandfather to get him to fight your battles. How pathetic."

"At least my ojii-sama isn't a dirty, perverted old man," Sayo shot back.

"Say that again, and I'll give the police a real reason to arrest me!"

"No need, Hino. If you aren't apologizing, then we are out of here." Sayo pivoted on her heel, motioning for her groupies to follow. "Come on, girls. Let's get out of this place before we become their next victims. The next bus should be here soon."

Watching the girls leave, Rei felt the desperate urge to kick something, hard. Either that, or else breakdown into uncontrollable sobs. How could she have even considered apologizing to that girl? The only thing Tanaka Sayo deserved was black eye and a broken nose.

However, remembering what she had been taught, Rei forced herself to take a couple of deep breaths to compose herself before heading back inside the living quarters. She was officially taking the rest of the day off. If she had to deal with one more accusation by a visitor, she would not be held responsible for what she did. Her grandfather would understand. It wasn't as if they had many customers anyway, thanks to the rumors. They had lost over fifty percent of their usual business since the kidnappings began.

Perhaps what she needed was to meditate in front of the sacred fire for a while. That usually managed to calm her when she felt like bursting into flames. Deciding that was a good idea, she entered the prayer room and took a seat in front of the flickering blaze.

Almost immediately, Rei felt her anger begin to burn away to ashes. There was comfort to be found in the pyromatic beauty of the fire in front of her. While most people felt fear toward the most destructive of the four elements, Rei learned long ago that fire was nothing to be scared of, only respected. As long as one respected the flames, no harm would come to him. It was a lesson that stayed with her as she slowly closed her eyes and paid honor to the spirit of fire.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen."

The fire responded to her prayer, wrapping the young miko in the usual blanket of warmth, but something was different this time. Her heart burned, too. It felt as if her entire chest was filled with flames, infernal heat coursing through her veins. She had never experienced such ecstatic power before, but it somehow felt familiar.

The feeling, unfortunately, did not last for long. Another power, the special gift with which she had been born, took over, filling her with a sense of foreboding. Something was horribly wrong. She fervently prayed to the god of the fire, asking for assistance.

Her prayer was answered in the form of a vision. In the middle of the dancing flames, the face of a handsome blond man appeared. Something tugged at her memory at the sight, but before Rei could decipher his identity, the vision changed, showing the man trying to choke a young school girl. The girl wore a Juuban Middle School uniform, and her golden blonde hair was styled strangely, pulled into two odango ponytails. Rei gasped in recognition.

It was the girl she had met the day before, Tsukino Usagi, and if her vision was correct, Usagi was in huge danger.

Rei didn't think twice, standing from her kneeling position in front of the fire and sprinting to the front door. A brief glance at the clock before she left showed it was two minutes past six. That meant the phantom bus had probably claimed a new group of victims. Rei prayed it wasn't too late and ran out to the street.

She made it just in time to see the bus pulling away, but determined, Rei continued running after it, her heart almost bursting as she strove to keep up with the vehicle. There was no way she would let another bus disappear if she could do something about it. It was time for the mystery to be solved once and for all, for her grandfather's sake.

"I have to catch that bus!" she panted. "Please, don't let it disappear!"

Much to her surprise, instead of speeding up as it had done the last time, the bus began to slow down as if to let her on board. Rei stopped running and stared into the front window, stunned. Behind the wheel, a man with short blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes smiled fiendishly at her.

The driver was the man she had just seen in her vision.

With a loud screech, the bus came to a halting stop, and the doors swung open, inviting her to come on board. Though her brain said it probably wasn't a good idea, her legs thought differently. Rei felt her feet move toward the bus, almost as if they were under some kind of spell, and no matter what she did, she couldn't make them stop.

"Come on board, pretty girl," the driver said, reaching out to her. "This bus is headed to our castle."

Rei stumbled up the bus steps, confused. "Castle? What castle? Where are you taking me?"

"To another dimension, my dear. You and all these other energy-filled schoolgirls."

With a grand sweep of his arm, he motioned toward the bus's other passengers, and Rei gasped. There must have been at least twenty or thirty other girls on board, all unconscious and sprawled across the seats. Some she even recognized, including a green-haired girl who sat near the front, her head resting against a pane of glass.

"Tanaka-san!" Rei cried out.

The kidnapper chuckled. "Good, I see you have friends on this bus," he said, reaching out to her once again as negative power formed in the palm of his hand. "You'll have company in death then. Why don't you join them now?"

A blast of energy came toward her, and though she tried to ward it off, it was too late. Rei collapsed into the man's arms, too weak to continue standing, and the last thing she remembered was him carrying her to an empty seat before everything went black.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's almost six o'clock, Luna," Usagi said, flipping open the new communicator on her wrist to check the time with a sigh. They had been loitering around the Hikawa shrine for the past thirty minutes or so trying to find clues about the kidnappings with little success, and she was ready to leave. "Maybe we should call it a day."

It appeared their investigation so far had been a complete waste of time. Usagi had been hoping to have the chance to talk to the mysterious miko again, but ever since the ugly scene with Mrs. Akiyama and the other parents, Rei was nowhere to be found - not that she really blamed her. After what had happened, Usagi didn't fault her for being unsocial. However, it didn't help them get any closer to finding out who was behind the kidnappings.

"Maybe you're right," the black cat said, though she didn't sound too thrilled with the prospect. "It doesn't look like Rei-chan will be coming out of the shrine any time soon. I suppose we'll just have to come back tomorrow and see if she's more willing to talk."

Pursing her lips together, Usagi gathered her pet in her arms as she started back down the stairway. "I don't think Rei-chan will be willing to talk to us at all about the kidnappings, Luna. She's really defensive about the whole thing, and who can blame her? Almost everybody thinks her family has something to do with the missing girls."

"Maybe they do."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

The cat shrugged. "You were the one who suggested Rei-chan might be working for the enemy in the first place, Usagi-chan."

"I know, I know," Usagi replied, blushing faintly. She was still a little ashamed about that. "But I know in my heart Rei-chan is a good person."

Luna smiled mysteriously. "I do, too…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Usagi asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just a feeling I get," Luna said quickly. A little too quickly, Usagi thought, but before she could get Luna to let the cat out of the bag, in a manner of speaking, they saw a bus approach the shrine and pick up some passengers.

"Hey, doesn't the phantom bus always come at six?" Usagi asked, watching a green-haired girl wearing the same school uniform Rei wore the day before climb on board.

Luna nodded, and Usagi could tell the black cat was having the same exact thought as she was. "Yes, it does, unless the enemy has decided has suddenly decided to change their strategy. This day may not be a waste after all. Let's follow it and see where it goes."

Running down the rest of the steps, and miraculously not tripping even once, Usagi headed toward the end of the street, ahead of the loading area. She knew once the bus started moving again, it would be difficult to keep up with it, so she wanted to be in a prime position to attack. A voice at the back of her mind was again telling her she was starting to think like a real senshi, but Usagi ignored it. There would be plenty of time to bemoan her destiny later. She had to make sure those girl were alright.

"Usagi-chan, look at the bus!" Luna ordered. "Something's wrong. The lights are flashing red instead of showing the destination."

Usagi whipped her head around just in time to see the bus pass them by. She wasn't able to see much, as it had begun to speed up, but she did catch a look into one of the back windows. A girl with raven black hair had been leaning against the glass pane, her eyes, which Usagi knew were a deep purple, closed as if she were asleep, and the she gasped in recognition.

"Rei-chan! Rei-chan is on that bus!" she exclaimed. "We have to help her, Luna!"

Usagi began hopelessly running after the bus, her guardian cat following right on her heels. It was going too fast to catch up, but she couldn't leave, knowing Rei was in danger. Her legs pumped as fast as they could as she tried to come up with some kind of plan.

"Come on, Usagi, think!" she muttered to herself.

The bus gained even more speed as an ominous black portal appeared before it. Usagi skidded to a stop, realizing it was no use to keep running, and watched in horror as the bus began to slowly disappear into the swirling mass of nothingness. There was no doubt about it; it was the same bus behind the rest of the disappearances. But what could she do to save Rei and the other girls who where undoubtedly also on board? She had to do something.

In a burst of sudden inspiration, she pulled out the Luna Pen and tossed it into the air. "Moon Power! Transform me into a stewardess!" Usagi yelled.

A blinding burst of light covered her body, and when it disappeared, her trademark blonde pigtails had been shortened to only two odango, and her clothes had been exchanged for a sexy, black stewardess's uniform complete with a cute matching hat and high heels.

"Usagi-chan?" Luna panted as they once again took after the bus, this time aided by magic, which increased Usagi's speed even in her high heels. "Why a stewardess?"

"Because protecting the passengers is my mission," Usagi answered, grabbing onto the back of the bus and hanging on for dear life. "Besides, don't I look cute?"

Luna rolled her eyes and managed to grab onto one of Usagi's legs just as the rest of the bus was about to pass through the portal. Unfortunately, being a cat, she couldn't hold on for very long without scratching her mistress with her claws. When the bus hit a small bump, Luna lost her grip and fell.

"Luna!" Usagi yelled, looking back when she noticed the weight missing from her legs. "Luna, where are you?"

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her guardian cat had been saved from a potentially dangerous fall by the masked man in a tuxedo chasing after the bus as fast as he could. Usagi didn't know when Tuxedo Kamen had appeared, or even how he knew she was in danger, but she was glad he had come.

"Thanks, Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" she called out, reaching for the hand he held out to her. "Grab on! Quick! The bus is disappearing."

Tuxedo Kamen stretched out his hand until their fingertips nearly touched, but it was too late. The second she felt the fabric of his white glove brush against her skin, the rest of the bus disappeared into the portal. Tuxedo Kamen, along with Luna, faded from her sight into the darkness.

She was all alone…

Usagi tried not to cry, but it was hard not to be scared when she was hanging onto the back of a bus as it sped through some kind of strange dimension. It was so dark and cold, like something out of a nightmare. She bit down hard on her bottom lip and tried not to think about where the bus might be heading, fearing what might await her when they reached their destination.

Usagi had never fought by herself before. Luna, Tuxedo Kamen, or Ami had always been with her during the other battles, and the thought of having to depend on her own skills as a senshi, which by her own admission were mediocre at best, was more frightening than even being caught outside in a thunderstorm. At least then she knew the probability of being struck by lightning was like one in a million, but if she had to fight another one of those ugly creatures without assistance, the odds were strongly against her.

"What am I going to do?" she whimpered, tightening her grip. "I wish somebody was here with me…"

The bus eventually came to a stop, but the landing was rough, and Usagi was violently thrown off, unable to keep her grip. For a moment when she hit the ground, she was dazed, unsure of what happened. Then she sat up and realized she was in front of a large stone castle, looming in front of her like a set from a horror movie. The bus was no where in sight.

"Where's the bus? Where's Rei-chan?" she asked aloud, stumbling to her feet. "I have to find them, but without the others…"

Usagi tried to regain her composure, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall. This was no time to be crying, not when Rei and the other girls were in danger. She was Sailor Moon, the soldier of justice, and it was time she started acting like it. They needed her. She was their only hope.

Remembering Luna had fixed the watches she had won at Crown into communication devices, Usagi pressed the button that contacted Ami, hoping Luna had gone to tell her what had happened. It was a long shot, and she knew the signal might not even reach them if she was stuck in some kind of alternate dimension, but she prayed it would.

"Come in, Luna! Ami-chan! Can you hear me?"

Much to her relief, Luna answered her. Never had she been so glad to hear that cat's voice in her life. "Usagi-chan, is that you?" she asked. "Where are you?"

"I'm not sure. After going through the hole, I found myself in front of this creepy castle, and I don't see the bus anywhere." Usagi sniffled, looking around the vicinity. "Nobody else is around. What should I do? I'm so scared…"

"Usagi-chan, you need to transform. Those girls are counting on you. You have to save them."

"Right."

The answer was so obvious, Usagi wanted to kick herself for not thinking about transforming sooner. She reached for the brooch pinned in the center of her bow on her uniform and called out "Moon Prism Power, Make-up," causing her to again be bathed by blinding light as she transformed. Once the transformation was complete, she was dressed in the fuku of her alter ego, Sailor Moon.

Another sailor-suited girl appeared soon after, clad in the contrasting blues of pure water. "Ami-chan!" Usagi exclaimed, ecstatic when she saw her ally. She ran over and enveloped the girl known as Sailor Mercury into a tight hug that almost cut off her circulation. "Boy, am I glad to see you! How did you get here? I thought I would have to do this all by myself. I was so scared!"

"Luna managed to transport me here using my transformation power," Ami explained, giving Usagi a small smile. "You know we wouldn't let you fight alone unless it was impossible for us to be with you. We're a team. Now, tell me what happened. Luna was only able to give me a short explanation before you called."

Quickly, Usagi filled her in on what had happened up to the point when she fell off the bus. Ami, too, thought it was strange that the bus had simply disappeared and began analyzing the area.

"They couldn't have vanished. The laws of physics say matter cannot be created or destroyed, only changed into other forms, so the bus has to be around here somewhere if you are certain it landed in this dimension. Unless…"

"Unless what?" Usagi asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. She barely understood the question as it was.

Ami frowned, looking up at the castle. "Unless the bus was transformed into this fortress. I haven't had much experience with magic, but if our enemy is as strong as Luna says, then I suppose it could be possible."

"If you're right, then the girls and our enemy must be inside!" Usagi said. "Let's go check it out."

Ami nodded. "Right."

The two headed inside the castle, the sound of their boots clicking against the marble floor and echoing softly throughout the vacant halls. At first, it appeared Ami's theory was incorrect. All the opened rooms they passed were empty, and there was not a victim or youma in sight. Usagi didn't know whether she should be worried or relieved at their absence. But then a deep voice reached their ears, sending chills along their skin.

"Do you hear that, Ami-chan?" Usagi asked, reflexively grabbing her friend's arm.

The blue-haired girl nodded as she came to an abrupt stop and motioned Usagi to do the same. Ami placed a finger to her lip, signaling silence, before cupping her ear in order to better hear what was being said.

"So beautiful," the voice said. The words were spoken softly, like the sweet nothings of a lover, but the acoustics inside the stone palace amplified the man's voice so they could be easily understood if one paid close attention. "I've wanted her since the first time I saw her. This girl…"

"I think it's coming from that room," Ami whispered, pointing in the direction of an open archway. "Let's go. The missing girls are probably being kept in there."

Following Ami's lead, Usagi tiptoed behind the girl genius to the entrance of the room. "Hehe, I feel like a spy," she said, careful not to speak too loud. However, she couldn't hold back a tiny snicker as she remembered the James Bond movie she and her little brother Shingo had watched a few nights previously. "I'm Moon - Sailor Moon. Hey, maybe I should use that for my introduction this time instead of the usual speech."

"Usagi-chan, be quiet. He'll hear us," Ami scolded. There was the faint trace of a smile on her lips, though.

"Oops, sorry!"

When they finally made it to the room, the girls popped their heads inside, one on either side of the archway. As Ami suspected, the floor of the spacious room was practically an ocean of bodies, all unconscious and seemingly drained of their energy. In the very center of the room was a blond man dressed in a gray uniform, his back turned toward them as he gently caressed a girl's face. His chosen victim wore the familiar robes of a Shinto miko, and Usagi gasped as she recognized the girl, realizing too late that she had unintentionally given away their presence.

"So, you've finally come, Sailor Moon," the man known to her as Jadeite said, turning around. "I've been waiting for you."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rei didn't know how long she had been unconscious. One minute, she had been in the imposter bus driver's arms as he carried her to an empty seat, and the next minute, she was caught in a headlock by that same man, no longer on the bus, but in a castle that looked like something right out of a gothic novel. Everything that happened in between was a complete blank - though she seemed to faintly recall a gloved finger tracing her cheek and a hauntingly familiar voice speaking to her right before she awakened… But now was not the time to think about that.

The man's hold was slowly choking her, making it increasingly difficult to breathe, and Rei gasped for air, struggling to escape from his iron grip. She tried to recall some of the self-defense moves her grandfather had taught her, but the lack of oxygen impaired her memory. Everything was so fuzzy and unclear. She could barely make sense of what was going on around her, much less figure out how to get free.

"Let go of Rei-chan!" a girl's high-pitched voice called out. "I won't allow you to imprison these innocent people here. In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

Rei managed to look up when she heard the voice, struck by the familiarity of it. She had heard it somewhere before, but where, she could not remember. She just barely made out its owner, a blonde girl with strange pigtails dressed in a scandalously short sailor outfit and a mask, before everything was covered in a thick fog, cold as ice.

Another voice, one unfamiliar to her, called out, "Usagi-chan, save Rei-chan while the fog lasts!"

 _Usagi?_ The girl was Tsukino Usagi, the ditzy blonde she had met the day before? What was she doing there, and why in the world was she wearing such a ridiculous costume?

Rei didn't have much time to ponder her questions. The man who held her captive tightened his clutch around her throat as he used his free hand to send out a blast of energy. "How cute," Jadeite laughed drolly.

Usagi and the other girl, also wearing a sailor fuku, were shocked when the fog around them crystallized into tiny ice crystals and fell to the ground. "He's using the fog," Usagi said, speaking into her watch as tears formed in her eyes. "He's freezing them into tiny pieces of ice. It won't help. What should we do, Luna?"

"Don't cry, Usagi-chan!" someone, presumably Luna, ordered. "If you cry, you'll make your supersonic waves come again. It'll cause a disturbance, destabilizing the other dimension, and you won't be able to save everyone. Use your Moon Frisbee!"

Usagi wiped away her tears and nodded. "Okay, I'll try."

In absolute awe of what she was seeing, Rei watched Usagi remove the golden tiara from her forehead and somehow form it into a discus. The girl then released it with a powerful swoosh, shouting "Moon Frisbee!" at the top of her lungs. The Frisbee came flying toward her and her captor, surrounded by a golden light, and Rei tightly closed her eyes, preparing for the pain that would be soon to follow. However, instead of pain, she felt nothing but the cold floor under her hands as the man finally released her and pushed her aside.

The man - for some reason, she wanted to call him Jadeite - had managed to stop the attack, catching the tiara as if he truly was playing a game of Frisbee. "Hey, this is fun," he said with a cackle, examining the tiara he held in his hand. "What is this? Some kind of little toy? I'm rather disappointed. If you want to defeat me, Sailor Moon, you are going to need a much better weapon than this junkyard reject."

"That's what you think," the voice from Usagi's watch said. "We've got you."

The Frisbee in Jadeite's hand suddenly expanded and trapped him, wrapping around his arms and torso so he couldn't move. An icy glare flashed in his eyes, angry at being bested, and although his arms were useless, he was still able to send the two senshi flying through the air, causing both to hit the ground with a thud. Alarmed, Rei stumbled to her feet, knowing she needed to do something, but unsure of what. Perhaps one of her ofuda scrolls would work…

The mysterious voice of Luna again came from Usagi's watch as Rei reached inside her robe for one of her wards. "Ami-chan, use the pen I gave you," she said urgently. "It's our only hope! Everything's riding on it!"

The blue-haired senshi pulled out a red stick from a subspace pocket, looking unsure of what to do with it. With a shrug, she finally decided to simply throw it in the air. Rei paused, wondering what she was doing, and both of the other girls gasped.

It was then when Rei noticed something was burning on her forehead - the brand of the astrological sign of Mars. The pen Ami threw began glowing brightly, and before Rei could understand exactly what was happening, her robes had disappeared and her body was being consumed by rapturous fire.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, back at Hikawa, Saburo arrived home after completing his errands, only to find the police combing through the shrine grounds. It didn't take long for him to figure out another bus had disappeared while he was gone, and his heart fell.

Not again.

"Kondo-sama, we'd like to ask you some questions, if you don't mind," a detective in plainclothes said, flashing his badge as he blocked Saburo's path. He was a burly man named Takahashi, the main detective in charge of the missing bus case, and they had spoken before on several occasions since the kidnappings began. "There's been another kidnapping."

Shifting his heavy grocery bag to his other arm, Saburo nodded. "Yes, of course, Takahashi-san," he agreed. "I will try to aide the investigation as best I can, but I'm afraid I've been gone most of the afternoon. If anyone can give you any information about what happened today, it would be my granddaughter. Have you spoken to Rei-chan, yet?"

The detective frowned. "Your granddaughter is not here, Kondo-sama."

"What do you mean?" Saburo asked. "Of course she is. She was supposed to be working in the office this afternoon selling charms and fortunes, as she does every day after school."

"When we arrived, we found the place deserted, sir. The office was closed, and when we knocked on the door to your living quarters, nobody answered. We assumed no one was home."

"Impossible…" he muttered, pushing past the detective to enter his house. It wasn't like him to be so rude, especially to a person in authority, but manners were the farthest thing from his mind at the moment. He had a bad feeling. His granddaughter wasn't the type to walk out on her responsibilities.

Ignoring the detective's orders not to tamper with the "crime scene," Saburo ducked underneath the yellow tape placed across the front door and slipped inside. There he found another police officer, this one dressed in uniform, standing in the middle of the living area, writing notes on the legal pad he held in his hand. He also told the priest to go back outside, but Saburo again disregarded his warning and continued to the back of the living quarters, still wearing his sandals and carrying the bag of groceries. The young police officer insisted on following him.

"Rei-chan!" he called out, sliding open the door of her empty bedroom. "Rei-chan, where are you?"

"S-Sir, you really must leave," the rookie said. "This is an official criminal investigation by the Keishichou and you are compromising potential evidence."

Sighing, Saburo turned around to face the young man. "Look, I'll save you the trouble and tell you there is absolutely nothing in this house related to the crimes that have recently taken place," he said. "Why is the Keishichou even considering Hikawa a crime scene? They have never bothered looking for evidence here before. Do you even have a search warrant?"

"We were asked to search the premises by Superintendent Tanaka-san, sir. Apparently, his great-niece is one of the missing girls, and according to the girl's parents, she and a few of her friends were on their way to visit a miko who works here after school."

The police officer didn't have to tell Saburo who the superintendent's great-niece was. Memories of last night's conversation with Minoru Uchizawa reminded him that Rei was supposed to have apologized to Tanaka Sayo that afternoon in order to avoid assault charges. Things were getting worse by the minute. They didn't say as much, but Saburo suspected the police, or at least the girl's powerful family, thought Rei had something to do with the young woman's disappearance, which would explain why they were searching the living quarters for evidence. He became even more determined to find his granddaughter.

"Rei-chan!" Saburo uncharacteristically yelled, resuming his search through the other rooms despite the rookie's protests. "Rei-chan, this is no time to be playing games! I want you to come out right this minute, young lady, and answer this officer's questions."

"Sir, I've told you nobody else is here. You really must -"

"Rei-chan!"

The last room he checked was the prayer room, hoping against hope that Rei was simply in one of her deep trances and had not heard all the commotion. When his little fire mistress fell into one of her meditative states, sometimes it took nothing less than World War III to wake her out of it. However, when he slid open the paper door and stepped inside, all Saburo saw was the sacred fire burning brightly, untended by the miko.

The bag of groceries fell from his arms, and as the old priest dropped to his knees in the doorway, Saburo began to weep, the reality of the situation finally hitting him.

Rei was gone, another victim of the phantom bus.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keitaro leaned back in his chair, satisfied with the work he had just completed. It had taken some effort on his part, but he finally managed to come up with a suitable compromise to a hotly debated bill in the Assembly. He was fairly certain it would pass with only minimal opposition this time and was glad that he had finished with it before leaving the office.

With his work completed and some rare free time on his hands before his final meeting of the day, Keitaro set aside the revised bill and turned around to face out the window. It was an end to yet another beautiful Tokyo day, with the sky a canvas colored with rich hues of blues, purples, and reds as the sun dipped into the horizon, but Keitaro could not bring himself to enjoy it.

Earlier that morning, he had received a full report on the mass kidnappings taking place in Sendaizakaue. The police still had no leads, and it was beginning to look as if they might never find the missing children. Keitaro was at a loss as to what was happening. To think that so many people could simply disappear without a trace...

Suddenly, the door to his office burst open, breaking him from his thoughts. Startled, Keitaro turned back around to see Miss Katsuki blocking the doorway with her body, her cheeks red from frustration.

"I tried to stop him, Hino-sama, I really did, but he wouldn't -"

"Out of my way!" roared an all-too-familiar voice as Tanaka roughly pulled the secretary away from the door and strode into the office, eyes blazing. The door slammed shut behind him. "You're done for it this time, Hino!"

Unsure of what was going on, Keitaro rose from his chair and met the irate politician's gaze. "Tanaka-san, I don't know why you are here, but if you must see me, I would appreciate it if you treat my employees with at least a modicum of respect. There was no need for you to -"

"She's fine," Tanaka insisted. "You, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about."

"What is it this time?" Keitaro asked, not even trying to act polite toward his rival as he resumed his seat. Two visits in just as many days by Tanaka Yoshiyuki was enough to irritate even the most patient of people. "Yesterday, you come in here, threatening to have my daughter arrested and to ruin my career, and now you visit me again with even more threats? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"This," Tanaka said, reaching for the remote sitting on his desk. "It's all over the news channels."

His rival pointed the control at the television set sitting on one of the office's built-in shelves and clicked to one of the cable news stations. On the screen, a distinguished, older gentleman was sitting behind the news desk, reading from the sheet of paper in front of him, and a headline of _Kidnapped Kids_ was displayed prominantly in the corner. Keitaro's eyes widened slightly as he turned his attention to the report.

"Turn up the volume," he ordered Tanaka, who, for once, willingly obliged.

"- disappeared at approximately 6:00 this evening," the reporter droned as his voice became more audible. "Although it has yet to be either confirmed or denied by Superintendent Tanaka-san, preliminary reports seem to show that among the missing is the superintendent's great-niece, fourteen-year-old Tanaka Sayo-san, who was to visit the Hikawa shrine sometime around the time of the kidnapping with friends. Tanaka-san is also the granddaughter of prolific politician and former gubernatorial candidate Tanaka Yoshiyuki-sama. We are expected to know more -"

"See?" Tanaka bellowed, blocking the reporter's voice as he violently pointed toward the television set. "My granddaughter is missing, and this is all your family's fault!"

Keitaro held up a finger, signaling his rival to quiet as he listened to more of the report. A sinking feeling was already settling in the pit of his stomach.

Not again...

"Oh, we have some more breaking news concerning the Sendaizakaue bus disappearances. Channel 44 has just learned that also among the missing is the daughter of Governor Hino Keitaro-sama. Fourteen-year-old Hino Rei-san is a miko at the nearby Hikawa shrine, which is owned by her grandfather and legal guardian, Kondo Saburo-sama. At this time, it is unclear if Hino-san was a passenger on the bus that disappeared a little over an hour ago in Sendaizakaue, but the police are investigating the possibility."

"Rei-san?" Keitaro breathed, unsure if he had heard the reporter correctly.

Turning off the TV with a click of the remote, Tanaka huffed. "Well, what do you know? Your daughter's gone missing, too," he said, not sympathetic in the least. "I would bet good money that Hino-san decided to leave on her own free will, knowing it was only a matter of time before the police learned the truth behind the kidnappings. Funny, I wouldn't have pegged her as the kidnapping type, but considering what happened between Hino-san and Sayo-san yesterday morning at the Academy, I wouldn't put anything past that freaky witch daughter of yours. I always thought there was something strange about her."

"Tanaka-san, you don't honestly believe a teenage girl is somehow involved in these kidnappings?" Keitaro asked in disbelief of what the man was suggesting. "Listen, I know you are upset about your granddaughter's disappearance, and I am terribly sorry you are going through this, but to insinuate that Rei-san is behind all this -"

"Is completely reasonable," Tanaka said, abruptly cutting him off. The portly man placed his hands on the surface of Keitaro's desk and glared threateningly. "And if my suspicions do happen to be correct, then I assure you, your daughter will be prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law."

"Get out, Tanaka-san," Keitaro ordered, his face calm and impassive even as he felt his blood boil with anger. "Leave now, or I will be forced to call security."

Tanaka scoffed, but finally relented. "Fine, I'll leave, but if your family has anything to do with what happened to my granddaughter, this will certainly not be the last time you see me. I will destroy you, Hino; I swear to you I will!"

With that threat, Tanaka stormed out of the office, slamming the door close behind him. The force of the slam was so hard, it rattled the glass covering a nearby picture, the only one that hung upon the walls, and caused the frame to slip from its hook. As the glass shattered upon impact with the floor, Keitaro walked over to clean up the mess, his anger turning to sadness as he took the picture in his hands.

It was the family portrait he usually kept in his home study but had decided to hang in his office a couple of days after Rei had called nearly a year ago to ask him about Kaidou's engagement. Keitaro wasn't sure why he had did it, but he wished he had kept it in its secret drawer, for staring at the photograph after the news he had just received was almost too much for him.

"Rei-san..." he whispered, hugging the picture to his chest. "Please be safe."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rei could scarcely believe what was happening to her. Her entire body was covered in flames, but strangely enough, she felt no pain. Ironically, though she knew she should have been dead, charred beyond all recognition from the raging inferno surrounding her, Rei never felt more alive. It was the same ecstatic feeling she felt before, when she was doing the fire reading. Her heart was burning, and her blood had become lava, coursing through her veins. She didn't want it to stop.

But then suddenly the fire disappeared, and Rei glanced down at her body, surprised when she discovered she was unharmed and amazed when she saw what she was wearing a red and purple sailor suit, almost identical to the ones Usagi and Ami wore. What was going on? What had happened to her?

Above her, the familiar caw of two black crows circling above her head broke Rei out of her stupor. She should have been surprised to see Phobos and Deimos in the strange dimension, but she wasn't. They were supposed to be there, her faithful guardians who always protected her.

"Phobos! Deimos!" Rei called. "Get him!"

The birds, following their mistress's orders, attacked the man trapped inside Usagi's tiara. Had the situation not have been so serious, Jadeite's high-pitched screams and curses as Deimos pulled at his hair might have been funny, but Rei felt no pity toward him. Instinctively, Rei formed a ball of fire in her hands and sent it toward the enemy.

"AKURYO TAISAN!" she shouted.

The fire completely consumed Jadeite, his body writhing horrifically in pain as the flames melted his skin away. After a few minutes, there was nothing left but his charred remains. Unfortunately, her attack must have caused a disturbance in the fabric of the alternate dimension, for a small tremor started to shake the ground. Luna quickly told them to gather all the other victims, and somehow, the three sailor-suited girls managed to teleport them out of there, though Rei had absolutely no idea how. They all arrived safely back at the bus stop in front of Hikawa, the victims still unconscious, but otherwise fine.

"Okay, what just happened?" Rei demanded to know once she regained some of her bearings. She stared at her gloved hands in confusion, remembering how she formed the ball of fire and defeated the evil man. Had she really done what she thought she had done? "These clothes? That power?"

"Rei-chan, you are a soldier under the protection of the planet Mars," a voice said. "You fight with the power of fire."

Rei glanced around, searching for the owner of the voice, but found nobody else around - who was conscious, anyway - except for Usagi and Ami. "Who said that?" she asked.

"I did," a cat said, jumping into her mistress's arms. "I'm Luna, the guardian cat of Sailor Moon and the other senshi. It's nice to finally meet you, Sailor Mars. We're so happy we've found you."

Rei didn't even blink, the sight of a talking black cat not disturbing her at all. Considering what had just happened, if she could produce fireballs with her hands and help teleport over a hundred people home from another dimension, then why wouldn't a cat be able to talk? It made perfect sense, in some weird, fantasy world way.

"Me, a senshi? Sailor Mars?" she breathed, the news beginning to sink in.

Usagi smiled brightly. "Yeah, you're our ally, Rei-chan!" she said. "This is so cool. Now there are three of us."

"We've been looking for ally soldiers like you," Ami explained. "We're the soldiers of justice, sworn to protect this world from the enemy and to find our princess and her crystal."

It was all a little too much for Rei to understand at the moment. Princess? A crystal? The enemy? It sounded like a storyline right out of a magical girl manga, but she couldn't deny it was real. She had felt the power in her very hands. They had to be telling the truth.

"I'm Sailor Mars?" Rei repeated, again inspecting her new form. "Then the reason I have powers different from other people is...because I'm a senshi? This is all so strange."

"You'll understand in time, Rei-chan," Luna assured her. "For now, you three better transform back. These girls will be waking up soon, and some of them might need medical attention."

The three senshi nodded, and in a flash of light, transformed back to their normal forms, Rei in her miko's robes and Usagi and Ami in their school uniforms. The blue-haired girl then volunteered to call the ambulance while Usagi and Rei attended to the victims who were slowly regaining consciousness.

Most of the girls were physically fine, thankfully. There were a few from the first batch of kidnapped girls who would probably need to go to the hospital to be treated for exhaustion, but the rest were remarkably healthy considering, up and walking around within minutes of waking up. Rei was especially glad when she saw Mii and Taiyouko were okay, giving each girl a huge hug and telling them how happy their parents would be to have them home.

Their biggest problem was trying to explain to the confused victims exactly what happened. After about the ninth or tenth time of hearing "What in the world happened to us?" Rei, Usagi, and Ami, who had come back over to help after calling for the ambulance, decided they would pass themselves off as fellow victims and told the girls the closest thing to the truth they could manage: they had been kidnapped by an evil man from another world but were saved by three girls in sailor suits. The younger girls accepted the story as the truth without question, already familiar with the exploits of the mysterious Sailor V, but some of the older girls didn't seem quite as convinced. Still, since nobody else offered any better theories, most just decided to let the subject go and forget about it. The important thing was that they were safe, so who cared what really happened?

Even Tanaka Sayo seemed to be willing to forget her previous accusations against Rei and her grandfather. The green-haired girl and her groupies were among some of the last victims to regain consciousness, since they were the last to be put under Jadeite's spell, and when they did, Rei insisted on dealing with them herself, telling Usagi and Ami they were classmates of hers at the Academy.

"Are you okay, Tanaka-san?" Rei asked softly, kneeling beside her awakening rival. There was no trace of harshness in her voice, only concern. Despite their history, she still felt bad for the girl, as she did for the others, having to go through such an experience, and she truly did hope she was okay.

"Hino-san? Is that you?" Blue eyes blinked as Sayo tried to focus. "Where am I? What happened?"

"The bus was attacked," Rei answered, reciting the cover story she and her new allies had told the others. "I know it sounds crazy, but the bus driver was some kind of monster from another world, and he took us to another dimension. We were finally rescued by some girls in sailor suits."

"Us?" Sayo groaned, struggling to sit up despite her dizziness. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Hino, but didn't we leave you at the shrine? I don't remember you being on the bus."

Luckily, Rei had been prepared for that very question. With the others, it had been easy to say she had been on another bus than the one they had ridden, but Sayo and her clique knew better. Rei simply decided to tell her the truth.

"I came on board after your bus had been attacked. You were already unconscious."

"But why? Certainly with your weirdo powers, you must have known it was dangerous, if what you say is true."

"Because I wanted to prove to you and everybody else that ojii-san had nothing to do with the kidnappings," Rei said. Her hands involuntarily clenched the fabric of her robes at the memory of what Sayo had said that day at school, and she lowered her gaze. "He was innocent, and I thought if I could somehow stop the kidnapper from taking another batch of victims, I would be able to clear his name. It was stupid, I know, but I had to try!"

Much to Rei's surprise, when she finally looked back up, Sayo was staring at her not in contempt, but in actual admiration. Or at least, what Rei thought was admiration. It was hard to tell when she had never seen that kind of expression on Sayo's face.

"You mean you were willing to risk your life just to salvage your grandfather's reputation?" Sayo asked in disbelief.

Rei nodded, a small smile crossing her lips. "Of course. He's very important to me, and I know he would do the same for me if I ever was in a bad situation."

Sayo frowned, staring off into the distance with what could only be described as sadness in her eyes. "It must be nice, having somebody to care about you that much," she murmured. "My ojii-sama only cares about me when it is convenient to him. Oh, sure, when he heard about the incident between me and you, he was all 'poor baby' and 'I'll make that mean girl pay for hurting you,' but then I found out all he wanted was to get revenge on Hino-sama. He didn't even want me to give you the chance to apologize so he could go on and continue with his plans when you didn't. In fact, until the other girls decided to tag along with me, I had been planning to tell ojii-sama you had apologized, even if you hadn't, just to get back at him for using me in his silly political games."

Dumbfounded, Rei didn't know what to say. Was it possible that Sayo really did have a heart somewhere underneath her nasty exterior? Perhaps it had only been her grandfather's influence that caused Sayo to be so mean toward her.

"I'm sorry, Tanaka-san," Rei finally said, offering a hand to help Sayo stand back up. "Here, let me help."

Once on her feet, the green-haired haired girl shook her head and smiled sadly. "That's okay, Hino-san. You don't have to apologize," Sayo said. "I should be the one apologizing to you for what I said about your grandfather yesterday. It was unacceptable. I really shouldn't listen to ojii-sama when he talks about your family. He was the one who suggested… Well, he was the person who put that idea in my head. I'm very sorry for what I said, and I hope you can forgive me."

Sayo bowed deeply, and it was all Rei could do from stopping herself from pinching herself in the arm. Surely, this was all a dream. First, she found out she was some kind of magical girl, and now her long-time rival was actually apologizing to her? It was unbelievable.

"Y-Yes, I forgive you, Tanaka-san," Rei managed to stutter, still somewhat in shock.

Sayo stood back upright, wearing the usual haughty expression that Rei knew well. "Thanks," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "But don't think just because I apologized, we're going to become all buddy-buddy now. I still think you're a freak."

Ah, there was the Tanaka Sayo she knew, and well...could understand. Recognizing the familar challenge, Rei echoed her sentiments, although without the usual animosity. "And I still think you're a snob."

"Good. So we understand each other, then, right?"

"Right."

By that time, the rest of Sayo's clique had recovered from their ordeal and were clamoring around their leader, fussing over her and asking what had happened. Rei took that as her cue to leave and walked over to where Usagi, Luna, and Ami were standing.

"Are your friends okay, Rei-chan?" the kind-hearted blue-haired girl Rei now knew to be Mizuno Ami asked when she came over.

Rei nodded and looked up at the moonlit sky. It was getting rather late. They must have been trapped in that dimension for longer than she thought. "They're fine," she said distractedly.

"That's good," Usagi said, craning her neck up to the sky as well. "Pretty sky tonight, isn't it? Hey, what are you looking for, Rei-chan? A constellation?"

"Flying pigs."

Ami and Usagi looked at each other, then at the miko staring at the stars. "What?" they exclaimed in unison.

Giggling, Rei shrugged her shoulders and petted the talking cat in Usagi's arms. One out of two wasn't that bad, she supposed, remembering what she had said the night before.

"Oh, nothing. I guess you just had to be there."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of the telephone ringing faintly in the background sometime later finally brought Saburo back to his senses. He wasn't certain how long he had been crying, but he noticed that the police had finally left, apparently deciding there was nothing more they could do without more evidence. Wiping the sleeve of his robe across his watery eyes, Saburo headed toward the phone in the living area and attempted to pull himself together.

"Hello, Kondo Saburo speaking," he said, his voice slightly wavering as he brought the receiver to his ear. "Who is this?"

"It's Keitaro," the caller answered. "I heard about what happened."

"Oh, Hino-sama."

Saburo closed his eyes and silently berated himself for not thinking to call Keitaro sooner. Despite Saburo's personal opinions of the way he treated Rei, Keitaro hadn't deserved to learn of his daughter's disappearance from the news or the police. He should have been the one to deliver the news.

"Is it true?" Keitaro asked. "I heard about it on Channel 44. They've been covering the latest kidnapping, and one of the reports -"

"Yes, it's true," Saburo quickly answered, not wanting to hear the rest of the sentence in fear he would break down again. He deeply exhaled before continuing. "Rei-chan... Rei-chan is gone. I don't know where she is."

There was a moment of silence as both men let the news sink in, the act of actually saying the words aloud making it suddenly all the more real. Saburo could barely remain standing, the urge to fall to his knees and weep once more almost overwhelming. Somehow, though, he managed to keep his composure as Keitaro finally found his voice again.

"What happened? Was she on the bus? Was she forcibly taken from Hikawa? The reports are so vague. All they are saying is that she is missing."

"I'm sorry, Hino-sama," Saburo apologized, wishing there was something more he could tell his son-in-law. "Nobody knows anything. I wasn't here when it happened, although now I wish I had been..."

"Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. I know you would never intentionally put Rei-san in danger."

Saburo wished it was that simple, but the fact remained that he did partially blame himself for Rei's disappearance. He never should have left Rei alone at the shrine, especially when he was aware of the weird things that had been occuring in the area near their home. What had he been thing?

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, realizing how pathetic those words must sound considering the circumstances.

On the other end of the line, there was a barely audible sigh. "It's okay, Kondo-sama," Keitaro said softly with about as much tenderness as Saburo had ever heard in the governor's voice. It was faint, but there if he listened closely enough. "We'll find her. The Keishichou are working overtime on the case, and we've added another search party to the group looking for the girls. Everybody is doing the best they can to bring those children home where they belong."

"Thank you."

After that, there really wasn't much more to say, so the two of them awkwardly said their goodbyes. Then, once he had hung up the phone, Saburo went back to the prayer room and did the only thing he could do in that kind of situation.

He prayed.

Time seemed to lose all meaning to the Shinto priest as he sat in front of the sacred fire and chanted, the familiar heat wrapping around him yet never quite warming him up. He felt cold, so very cold. Not even the comfort of the flames could chase away the shivering fear that had come over him.

He couldn't lose Rei. His precious granddaughter was all he had left in the world. It was her alone who allowed him to live again after losing his daughter, and to lose her as well would be unbearable. Surely life would not be so cruel as to take away his little Rei-chan, the one person he lived for, as well.

"Please tell me where my granddaughter is," he prayed to the cackling fire in front of him. "Please show me. Show me she is safe."

It took a few moments, but the dancing fire eventually began to respond to his prayers. However, the vision he saw was not what he had expected.

First, he saw the shrine. Phobos and Deimos were being mischievous as usual, swooping in the air as black feathers fluttered in the air like raven snow. They seemed agitated by something. By what, he could not see, but Saburo understood it to be his granddaughter's disappearance. The crows were very protective of Rei, and he had noticed when he came home that evening they had been acting strangely, although the meaning of their behavior had not become clear to him until now. The two in the vision continued flying erratically in the air for a few minutes until they quite suddenly disappeared in a bright red light.

Then the vision changed. The fire grew dimmer, matching the rather gloomy scene it was showing him. It appeared he was seeing the inside of some kind of large room, but the darkness made it difficult to know for sure. All he could really make out was the outline of bodies on the ground and a small group of people standing in the center. Three of the silhouettes looked to be a trio of girls, while their taller companion was most definitely a man. One of the girls managed to form a ball of fire in her hands and threw it toward the man, causing his entire body to erupt in flames. The fire allowed Saburo a quick glance at one of the girls wearing a red-and-purple sailor suit, but before he could identify her face, the vision changed again.

The last vision was one he was familiar with, though it had been quite a while since he last received it. The astrological sign of Mars shone a dark red, its glow more intense then ever. Saburo almost had to shield his eyes, it was so bright, but before he could, the vision abruptly vanished. The fire soon settled back down to its normal state.

"Ojii-san?"

The voice sounded so small and faint, at first, Saburo almost thought he had imagined it. He didn't dare to get his hopes up. Still, he felt his heart involuntarily give a little leap of joy, and tears filled his dark eyes as he slowly turned away from the fire to the entrance of the room. There, standing in the doorway, was a beautiful raven-haired miko, her pink lips curled into the tiniest of smiles.

"Rei-chan?" he breathed, almost afraid to say her name aloud in fear the vision would disappear. "Rei-chan, is that really you?"

The vision nodded, and her smile brightened as she stepped forward into the room and kneeled down beside him. Taking his shaking hand, she brought it to her cheek as if to prove she was really alive and not some ghost. Her skin felt wonderfully warm.

"Yes, ojii-san, it's me," she whispered. "I'm home."

"Thank the gods!"

Saburo threw his arms around his granddaughter and drew her close, rivers of tears streaming down the crevices of his wrinkled face. Words alone could not express the relief and joy he felt to hold Rei in his arms again when he feared he might never would. He rocked her back and forth as one would a baby, murmuring half-coherent prayers of thanks, and gently stroked her hair.

"My dear child… I was so afraid I had lost you, Rei-chan," he said. "When I came home, the police were here, and you were gone. They said there had been another bus disappearance, so I immediately thought the worse…"

"It's okay, ojii-san. It's over now." She hugged him tighter, as if wanting to reassure him that this would never happen again. "The nightmare is over, and your name has finally been cleared. I'm safe, and so are all the other girls. There won't be any more kidnappings. It's over now. I promise."

"But how? Who was behind the bus disappearances?" Saburo asked, finally disengaging himself from their embrace. "Did the police capture the perpetrator?"

Rei shook her head, her eyes focused on the ash-covered hardboard floor beneath her, almost as if she was afraid to look at him. "He's dead, ojii-san."

"Dead?" Saburo repeated, again pulling her close. "Oh, Rei-chan, you didn't see…?"

"He was killed during our rescue, burned to death."

Her voice betrayed no emotion at all as Rei looked over his shoulder at the sacred fire, but Saburo could feel her body tense in his arms. She wasn't telling him something; he could feel it. "What is it?" he asked softly, rubbing his hand in a circular motion down herback. "You know you can tell me anything."

"It's nothing," she insisted.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, sitting back up. "I'm fine, ojii-san," she said, taking his two hands in her own. "Really, I am. You don't have to worry about me."

Saburo chuckled, wondering what had suddenly brought up that subject. "I'm your grandfather, Rei-chan. Of course I'm going to worry about you. It's my job."

"I know, and I love that about you," Rei said, bringing one of his hands to her lips to kiss his knuckles. "But try not to worry too much, okay? I can take care of myself."

"Rei-chan…"

Before he could respond, Rei was back on her feet. "It's been a long day," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "I think I'm going to take a long soak in the tub and then go to bed, if you don't mind. Good night, ojii-san."

"Good night."

Saburo sighed as he watched his granddaughter exit the prayer room. Why did he have the feeling that Rei wasn't telling him the whole story about what had happened?

And why did he suspect it had something to do with the visions he had seen in the sacred fire?


	13. Fire And Ice, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from the Mixx translation of the manga.
> 
> 10,000 yen - $100

"Hino Rei-san, you're next."

Hearing her name called, the raven-haired girl dressed in the traditional robes she had changed into for her archery practice stepped forward and brought up her bow and arrow. Dark purple eyes squinted as she mentally estimated the distance between her and the target. Fifteen feet. It wouldn't be too difficult to hit the bull's eye, but she knew she needed to focus. She couldn't allow overconfidence to get in the way of her concentration. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Rei slowly drew the string of her bow back until it was taut, and when the teacher gave the signal, she let loose, letting out her breath at the same time.

Her arrow soared in the air toward the target as she and the other girls watched. Unlike some of the less talented archers, Rei had managed to keep hers from veering off course. It shot straight ahead and firmly planted itself in the wooden red-and-white board with a loud thunk.

But it was not a bull's eye, as everyone had expected. Some of the girls gasped, surprised. Hino Rei, the star of their archery club, rarely missed her mark, especially by such a wide margin. Her arrow had hit nearly two inches above the white circle in the center.

Frowning, their teacher, Father Arakawa, marked an "X" on the tally sheet attached to his clipboard. "Hino-san, what's wrong?" he asked. "You're not concentrating today. Your arrows are straying."

Rei bowed in apology as she finally brought down her bow. She was a little in shock herself by what happened. I'm sorry, Arakawa-sensei," she said. "I suppose I have other things on my mind today."

"It's fine to have bad days every once in a while, but try not to make a habit of it. Our next tournament is in a couple of weeks, and we need everybody at the top of their game if we want our team to remain undefeated."

"I understand."

Practice continued for about five minutes more until Father Arakawa finally decided to call it a day. He then dismissed the girls to the locker rooms to change back into their regular school uniforms and go home.

"Hino-san, I was really surprised when you didn't make that shot," Kotono said, jogging up to Rei as she headed back inside with her teammates. The blonde wasn't in the archery club, preferring to research paranormal activity with her friends in the Supernatural Club, but Rei had noticed her observing the last ten minutes or so of their practice as she sometimes did when her club finished early. "I hope my presence didn't bother you. I was trying to be really quiet."

"No, not at all," Rei assured the girl, smiling.

Sarashina Kotono was probably the closest thing she had to a true friend at the Academy. The two had bonded a few months after Rei discovered her identity as Sailor Mars during the Black Moon family's invasion of the past. Kotono had asked her to tell fortunes for the Supernatural Club's booth at the Academy's annual bazaar, and after some persuasion, Rei had reluctantly agreed. Unfortunately, the festival had been targeted by one of the Black Moon's agents, Cooan, and because of her, Sister Maria had been killed by an apparent case of spontaneous combustion and Rei had been kidnapped. Not exactly the big success the school had been hoping for. Rei understandably didn't like thinking about it much, but at least she had acquired a friend despite the whole ordeal.

"So, why did you suddenly lose your concentration like that?" Kotono pressed, turning around so she was walking backwards. "Was it just a fluke, or something else? I heard Arakawa-sensei say your arrows had been straying today, so I assume that wasn't the first time you missed a target during practice. Is something bothering you?"

Rei shrugged, not really in the mood to talk about the things currently occupying her mind, especially with the blonde. Kotono was a nice enough girl, but there were some things she just didn't feel comfortable discussing with her.

And then, of course, there were the other things she couldn't discuss with Kotono - namely, the new enemy the Sailor Senshi were fighting. It was too bad they had to keep their identities a secret. Given her fascination with the paranormal, Rei was certain Kotono would find that subject rather interesting. She wondered what Kotono would think if she found out her friend Hino Rei was actually Sailor Mars.

"It's nothing, Sarashina-san," she insisted. "I was only a little distracted, that's all. Next practice will be better."

"If you say so, Hino-san." Kotono didn't seem convinced, but wisely decided not to push the subject any further. Instead, she stopped walking backwards, just barely managing not to trip on the bottom stair, and bowed politely. "Well, I should be getting home now. Okaa-sama gets mad if I'm late for dinner. I'll see you next week. Bye!"

"Bye."

Rei watched the girl leave, then made her way to the locker room inside, where she quickly changed back into her uniform. She then left, in no mood to deal with the other girls' questions about her failures at practice. Popularity, at times, was a pain. It almost made Rei long for the days when Tanaka Sayo had mercilessly teased her and she had been an outcast among her classmates.

Almost, but not quite.

Reaching into her book bag when she stepped outside, Rei pulled out the book she had checked out from the library the day before and started on her way to the park to meet the others. The senshi were holding an informal meeting there to discuss the new enemy, but Rei hoped it wouldn't last too long. She wanted to get back to the shrine as soon as possible. Her grandfather had fallen ill again, and she needed to be there to take care of him.

He seemed to be sick a lot lately. At first, it had started out as only minor colds, which were perfectly normal in the winter. Rei hadn't really given them much thought or concern at the time. He was an old man, and his immune system wasn't as strong as it used to be - of course he would be more susceptible to illness. But then spring came, and the colds didn't go away. In fact, they had grown worse and more frequent. The new school year had hardly begun, and already he had been sick twice.

It worried Rei, more than she liked to admit. She wished he would go see a doctor as she had suggested on several occasions, most recently at breakfast that morning. She had a feeling something was seriously wrong with her grandfather, but he was being stubborn on the subject.

"Hey, Rei-chan!" a familiar voice said, dragging out the honorific. Rei had just entered the park and was heading toward her friends, who were already there. "What are you reading? You look just like Ami-chan with your nose stuck in that book."

Rei glanced up from the page she was reading at the odango-headed blonde. She hadn't really been paying attention to what Usagi had said, too absorbed in her reading and her thoughts about her grandfather. "Hmm?"

" _Shrine Management Rules_? Why are you reading that?" Usagi asked, reading the title of the book herself.

Sighing, Rei bent down the corner of the page to mark her place and closed the book. It looked as if she wouldn't be getting any more studying done. "Ojii-san's sick," she informed the other girls, knowing it would be only a matter of time before they had dragged it out of her anyway. One thing she had learned over the past two years was that it was nearly impossible to keep secrets from the others.

"Again?" Ami asked softly. The blue-haired girl rested a gentle hand on Rei's shoulder, while the others all murmured their regrets. "Oh, I'm sorry, Rei-chan. How bad is it this time?"

"He can barely get out of bed, though he certainly does try. High fever, difficulty breathing, dizziness, bad cough…"

"Has he been examined by a doctor? That sounds even worse than his usual colds." Ami, the group's resident health expert, had dreams of becoming a doctor like her mother, so she was forever dispensing medical advice and making sure the others took care of themselves

Rei shook her head. "Unfortunately, ojii-san is still being stubborn about not seeing a doctor. He insists we don't need to spend the money to treat a silly little cold that will go away on its own in a few days."

Ami looked thoughtful, rubbing her chin as the wheels in her head churned. "You know, okaa-san is a doctor," she reminded Rei. "The days of house calls may be over, but I know she wouldn't mind stopping by Hikawa to check on your grandfather. I could probably even convince her to not charge you for the visit. She would be happy to help."

As generous as Ami's offer was, Rei knew her grandfather would never agree to it, and to be honest, she wouldn't feel right accepting charity either. "Oh, no, Ami-chan, we couldn't ask Mizuno-sensei to do that without some kind of payment."

"But Rei-chan, okaa-san wouldn't mind, really. She does a lot of volunteer medical work when she has the time. She couldn't care less about the money. Seeing her patients healthy is reward enough."

"Still…"

"Will you at least think about it?"

Rei reluctantly agreed to discuss it with her grandfather, although she already knew what he would say to the offer. It was the least she could do. "Fine, I'll talk to him about it, Ami-chan. Thanks."

"That still doesn't explain why you're studying shrine management rules, though," Aino Minako pointed out, bringing the subject back to the book she was now flipping through. The pretty blonde, also known as Sailor Venus, the leader of Princess Serenity's guardians, was probably Rei's best friend in the group. A person wouldn't necessarily think that at first, though, considering how they both had a tendency to get on each other's last nerve. "I thought your grandfather took care of most of the management of Hikawa."

Taking the book from Minako's hands, Rei put it back in her book bag and rolled her eyes. "I think you just answered your own question, Minako-chan," she said. "Since ojii-san has been ill so much lately, I've taken on more responsibilities at Hikawa, and therefore, I'm looking for more efficient ways to run the shrine. These are hard times, and with the economy so bad…"

"Are you going to hire someone?" Ami asked, pushing her glasses up her nose. She had pulled out her own book, some incredibly advanced biology text, to study as they waited for Luna and Artemis, Minako's guardian cat, to arrive for the meeting.

"No, of course not," Rei said, crossing her arms over her chest. "That takes cash, and it has always been my principle not to waste money like that. We just need to learn how to manage our finances better and make do with what we already have."

Beside Rei, Minako suddenly snapped her fingers. "Hey, Rei-chan, I have a great idea on how to get extra help around the shrine and not have to pay a dime!" she exclaimed.

Inwardly, Rei groaned. Minako had that look in her baby blue eyes that suggested Rei was not going to like this brilliant idea one single bit. It was the same look Minako got when she decided she would disguise herself as one of Rei's classmates at the Academy so she could see what it was really like to attend an all-girls' private school. That had been an absolute disaster. Not only had Minako broken every school rule (as well as a few windows), she had almost blown her secret identity as Sailor Venus, since Rei had been possessed by an evil spirit lurking inside an abandoned well and needed rescuing. Minako had not let Rei forget that, so needless to say, Rei was rather reluctant to investigate further, but desperate times…

"What is this wonderful idea, Minako-chan?" she asked, deciding she might as well humor the girl. Who knew? Minako might have even thought of a something useful.

Minako smiled cheerfully and held up her index, middle, and ring fingers. "Three words: Get a husband!"

So much for that theory…

"A husband?" Rei said, her left hand clenching into a fist as the blood rushed to her face. She couldn't believe Minako had even thought of suggesting such a thing. Minako knew perfectly well how she felt about the subject of love and marriage. "You think I should get married? You must be joking! Why would I -?"

Minako, apparently oblivious to the very thin ice she was walking on, flipped her hair over her shoulder and shrugged. "Don't blow your nose," she said. "I know how much you hate boys and all that mushy-mushy romance stuff, but don't think of it as really getting married. It's business. If you find a husband, you'll bring a person to the shrine to work for free. And, of course, he will follow after your grandfather and do all the work at the shrine, so you would be free to do whatever you like. You could even think of him as your own personal servant and love slave!"

"Minako-chan, that's terrible!" the last member of their group said, shaking her head in disapproval. Kino Makoto, who moonlighted as Sailor Jupiter, was a tall auburn-haired girl with a green thumb and an unmatched talent in the kitchen. "A girl shouldn't get married so she can treat her husband like a servant. When people get married, it should be for love."

Although she knew Makoto was rigt, Rei had to admit Minako did have a point. No, she wouldn't ever actually seriously consider the proposal, but it was tempting. Imagine, having somebody else to take care of the major responsibilities of the shrine for free…

"A servant, huh?" she murmured. "That might be nice."

"You two should act more your age," Ami lightly scolded, giving them a sideways glance from behind her book. "You're being silly."

"My age?" Minako repeated, a forlorn look on her face. She dramatically clutched her hands to her chest and sighed. "That reminds me…"

"...I want a boyfriend!" the blonde and the brunette, the perpetual romantics of the group, said in unison.

Amethyst eyes rolled. "Here we go again…" Rei muttered, once again her usual pessimistic self after her brief lapse of insanity. She took her book back out and joined Ami on the bench in studying, not at all interested in the boy talk that was sure to follow.

Ever since her humiliating, painful experience with Kaidou, Rei had resolutely steered clear of romance, just as she had promised. Ironically,though, her disinterest in love seemed to somehow become a signal for boys to send her love letters, give her flowers, and generally act like idiots. Sometimes she even had glances from grown men, which tended to incense Minako to no end, as it was Minako who was available and ready. Personally, Rei thought Minako shouldn't be so eager to get tied down and thought it was silly for her to spend so much time and energy on finding a boyfriend when there were much more important things in life.

"Minako-chan, despite what you may think, men are not the number one priority in life. We, especially, should realize that and use our energy for more important things," she lectured, interrupting the excited chatter. "Remember, the whole senshi thing? Protectors of love and justice? Any of this ringing a bell?"

Minako huffed and sat down on the bench beside Rei. "Oh, come on, Rei-chan!" she said, throwing her arm around her best friend's shoulders. "Wanting a boyfriend is a perfectly healthy desire for a schoolgirl!"

"Perhaps, but I'm not interested. Men are unreliable," Rei said, turning a page. She didn't even look up.

"Not my Mamo-chan!" Usagi protested, her eyes bright as she thought of her destined soul mate. "He's perfect."

The other girls groaned, but there was no trace of annoyance in their voices. In fact, they were all smiling, even Rei. Though Usagi tended to gush endlessly about Chiba Mamoru at any chance she got, reminding them of their own lack of love lives, they were happy their prince and princess were together. Usagi and Mamoru truly were the perfect couple.

"How is Mamoru-san anyway, Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked. "Has he suffered any more attacks?"

Their princess's cerulean blue eyes darkened somewhat at Makoto's inquiry. A few days ago, just after Usagi and Chibi-Usa fought a tiger that had gotten loose from the newly arrived Dead Moon Circus, Mamoru had suddenly collapsed. He had needed to be taken to the hospital, where he stayed for couple of hours while doctors ran some tests, but since he had been released, everyone assumed it was nothing major. Still, they also knew Usagi was worried to death about him.

"No, I don't think so, Mako-chan," Usagi said softly. "At least, if he has, he hasn't told me. Mamo-chan doesn't want to worry me."

Rei, who knew firsthand how it felt to see a loved one sick, set down her book and reached for Usagi's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. She knew exactly what was going through the blonde's mind. "But you are, aren't you, Usagi-chan?"

The princess nodded, discreetly wiping away a teardrop that had formed in her eye with the palm of her hand. "I'm being silly, though, I know," she said, smiling again, though Rei thought the smile looked rather forced. "Mamo-chan told me the doctors said he was fine, and he probably had just been partying too much at university. If it were something serious, he would tell me, right?"

"Right," Rei agreed, even though she had her doubts. In her admittedly limited experience, men hated to be seen as weak or sick, unable to care for themselves. If Mamoru was anything like her grandfather, he was either denying something was seriously wrong or trying to hide it from Usagi. Besides, Rei suddenly thought, since when did Mamoru start going to parties? Since he wanted to be a doctor like Ami, Mamoru was usually in bed well before midnight every night, unless his duties as Tuxedo Kamen intervened. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more convinced Rei became that this "too much partying" line was a little white lie. Her instincts were rarely wrong, and she knew that she should tell her princess immediately, but Usagi was already so worried, Rei was afraid that she would do more harm than good by voicing her suspicions.

Fortunately, the trio of cats chose that moment to arrive, providing a much welcomed change of topic. Luna, Artemis, and their future daughter Diana sprinted over to the girls, looking as if they had some important news.

"Sorry, girls," Luna panted, apologizing for their tardiness. "We were held up."

"That's okay, Luna," Usagi assured her. "Did you find out any information about our enemies?"

Artemis nodded. "Tomorrow is the first performance of the Dead Moon Circus," he informed them. "Luna and I think we should go and investigate."

"That's probably a good idea, Artemis," his mistress said, easily slipping into her role as the leader of the Princess's guardians. Rei always marveled how Minako could be silly one minute and serious the next, as if it was as simple as turning on a switch. "Let's all meet in front of the circus tomorrow, right before the matinee performance. Agreed?"

It was agreed, and the meeting was dismissed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After their meeting, Minako promptly decided she would walk Rei back to Hikawa, not giving the beautiful miko the chance to refuse. The shrine was somewhat out of her way, but she sensed Rei could use a friend, so the two girls walked down the tree-lined streets leading to Sendaizakaue, silently marveling at the beauty of the blooming sakura blossoms and enjoying each other's company.

The silence between them was not uncomfortable. Minako had known Rei long enough to know when she didn't want to talk about something, and it was definitely one of those times. She didn't press her to talk, figuring if Rei did want to discuss her concerns about her grandfather, she would bring up the subject herself. Instead, Minako attempted to get her mind off of her troubles by focusing on other things, like the weather.

"The cherry blossoms sure are pretty this year, aren't they, Rei-chan?" she asked, finally breaking through the quiet.

Rei nodded. "Yeah."

"That means you'll probably have to do a lot of raking at the shrine."

"Yeah."

"I'll help you if you need an extra pair of hands."

"Yeah."

Minako rolled her eyes at that, getting the feeling Rei wasn't listening to her at all. However, if there was one thing which came easily to Minako, it was getting people's attention.

"Rei-chan, are you in love with me?"

"Yes… What!?"

That certainly got Rei's attention. Minako giggled, linking her arm with that of her best friend, and landed a playful peck on her cheek. "I knew it!" she said. "I knew you were secretly in love with me. No wonder you tried to kiss me that one time at your school."

"Minako-chan, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, you don't have to hide your feelings any more!" Minako said. "I know you've been secretly burning with passion for me, and why wouldn't you? I'm the beautiful and sexy Goddess of Love! And, guess what, I'll tell you a secret, too." Cupping her friend's ear with her hands, Minako whispered seductively, "I love you, too."

For a moment, Rei didn't seem to know how to respond to that. Her mouth was moving, but no words came out, and her violet eyes had widened to nearly twice their size. It was as if she had completely lost her voice. Minako laughed, quite enjoying the spectacle. It wasn't often a person could render the miko speechless.

"What, Rei-chan? Bird got your tongue?"

Finally realizing she was just kidding around, Rei smiled and lightly smacked the back of Minako's head.. "That's 'cat got your tongue,' idiot," she said.

"Hey, at least I got you to smile," Minako said, rubbing the area where Rei had hit her. "You were totally in one of your moods again."

"One of my moods?" Rei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know, all spaced out and gloomy."

Rei sighed, her brief smile replaced by the all-too-familiar frown. "Oh, yes, I suppose I was, wasn't I? I'm sorry, Minako-chan. I'm afraid I'm not very good company today."

Minako shook her head, again linking her arm with Rei's and resting her head on her shoulder. "That's okay. Wanna talk about it?"

Her best friend was quiet, staring off into the distance. She didn't seem inclined to answer. Minako took that to mean she didn't want to talk about her grandfather and was about to suggest they plan a shopping trip after tomorrow's circus show, but she was surprised when Rei unexpectedly spoke.

"Sometimes, he is just so stubborn!"

"Your grandfather?" It was a fairly pointless question since the answer was obvious, and she doubted if Rei had even heard her, but Minako was glad she had finally decided to talk to her. It wasn't healthy for Rei to keep her emotions bottled up inside.

"He won't listen to me," Rei said. "I told ojii-san I would get the money for the doctor somehow, even if I had to pawn some of my valuables, but he won't hear of it. He keeps on insisting it's nothing serious, but I know it is, Minako-chan. Something is wrong. I can feel it."

"Have you had visions?"

Rei shook her head, her loose black hair blowing behind her in the gentle spring breeze. "No, it's more like one of my 'feelings,' the kind I used to have when… When I was little."

Minako didn't need to ask for an explanation. She knew about the "feelings" Rei used to sometimes get whenever her mother had one of her more serious attacks. It hadn't been easy, but Minako had managed to pry it out of her last year on the anniversary of Hino Takara's death when she, being somewhat of a snoop, had followed Rei to the cemetery and saw her visiting her mother's grave. As far as Minako knew, she was the only person in their group who Rei had confided in about her late mother. Rei didn't like to talk about Takara much, nor anything else about her past, for that matter, so Minako considered it an honor that the notoriously private miko had allowed her that brief glimpse into her life. That, more than anything, sealed their friendship, and they had been the best of friends ever since.

"Oh, Rei-chan," Minako whispered. "Don't think about things like that. Your 'feelings' might be wrong. You said it yourself that sometimes you are mistaken. Remember the time you tried to exorcise Usagi-chan, thinking she was some kind of evil spirit?"

Rei looked a little sheepish. "She told you about that?"

"Uh-huh. She told me and Mako-chan all about it when we asked her to fill us in on what had happened before we joined the team."

"Well, that was only one time, and I was on edge because of all the bus disappearances that had been occurring," Rei said, defending herself. "I don't think anybody blames me for the mistake. Besides, Phobos and Deimos attacked her, too."

"Rei-chan, don't get all huffy on me. I was only trying to make a point," Minako said, rolling here eyes. Sometimes, Rei could be a little too defensive.

Rei smiled, showing there were no hard feelings, and squeezed Minako's hand. "I know, and thank you, but I really don't think I'm mistaken this time. The 'feelings' get stronger the worse he becomes."

Minako wished there was something she could say to assure Rei everything was going to be okay, but there wasn't any guarantee that it would be. For a moment, she was tempted to suggest a visit to Kaioh Michiru. The elegant senshi of Neptune also had an incredible sixth sense, and on top of that, she could use that mirror of hers that she had given to Chibi-Usa to possibly get a second opinion... But then Minako remembered, her heart sinking, that they had no idea where the Outer Senshi had gone after Hotaru's rebirth, and they had enough on their plates with this new enemy without going through the phone book and the library to track them down. Even Ami's phenomenal research skills were being stretched at the moment. Defeated by the lack of options, Minako sighed inwardly and fell back on banal words.

"I guess you'll just have to force him to see a doctor then. Like Ami-chan said, Mizuno-sensei would be happy to examine him, and she probably wouldn't even charge you for the visit."

"Oh, no, we would pay her," Rei insisted. "If I have to, I'll even go to otou-sama and ask him to loan us the money as a last resort. I know he would, if only out of guilt. The hard part is convincing ojii-san."

"Well, if anybody can convince him, I know you can. You can be pretty stubborn yourself sometimes, too, you know," Minako teased, poking Rei in the arm with her finger.

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" Rei asked, not at all amused.

"Oh, nothing, nothing!"

Minako raised her hands in mock surrender, and the two girls laughed, starting up the long flight of stairs leading to Hikawa. Their girlish giggles didn't stop until they finally reached the torii at the top, and both were breathless and smiling, a sight Minako was glad to see. Rei didn't smile nearly enough, in her opinion. It really was a shame. If it was possible, Rei looked even more beautiful when she smiled.

"So, would you like to come inside for some tea, Minako-chan?" Rei asked, once she had caught her breath. "I'll have to check on ojii-san first, but that shouldn't take too long if you don't mind waiting."

Regretfully, Minako had to decline when she glanced down at her watch. It was later than she thought. If she had any hope of making it home before dinnertime, she needed to leave right away. The last thing she wanted was to get in even more trouble with the dragon lady, also known as her mother. Her failing mark on her math test was bad enough without making things worse. "I better not. I don't want to be a bother. Maybe next time."

"Okay, next time."

"Tell Kondo-sama I hope he feels better soon."

"I will. Thanks."

"And don't forget about tomorrow."

"I won't."

They said goodbye, and Minako turned to leave but stopped about two steps down. There was something else she needed to say before she left. She again walked up to the torii and took Rei's hands, surprising the miko.

"Minako-chan?"

Minako smiled. "I just want you to know I really do love you, Rei-chan. If you ever need anything or just need somebody to talk to, don't hesitate to call, okay? I'll always be there for you. I promise."

Touched, Rei's face softened. "Thank you, Minako-chan."

"See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watching the happy-go-lucky blonde with the red bow skip down the stairs, Rei once again thought about how lucky she was to find such wonderful comrades in her fellow senshi. She never thought it would be possible for her to love them all so much. After all the disappointments in her life, she didn't think she would ever be able to trust anyone else besides her grandfather, Minoru, and Miyuki, but instinctively Rei felt as if she could tell the senshi anything - Minako especially seemed to be able to soothe her, always managing to find the right words to make the future seem a little bit brighter, like a candle in the dark.

She had to admit it felt nice to finally feel as if she really belonged, instead of being the freak nobody wanted to be friends with. Even the girls at school, like Kotono, had been warming up to her since she started hanging out with Usagi, Minako, and the others. Everybody said she had become a lot more approachable over the past two years.

 _I suppose I really am lucky in some ways_ , she thought as Minako's trademark red bow disappeared from sight.

Rei then went inside the living quarters, where she immediately got dressed in her miko's robes before heading to the small kitchen. She pulled out the ingredients needed for an easy recipe Makoto had given her to try and began preparing some miso soup for her grandfather. When that was done, she placed the bowl of soup on an old, wooden tray and headed to her grandfather's bedroom, carefully balancing the tray in one hand as she slid open the door.

Inside, she was glad to see her grandfather was still in bed, a light blanket covering his pajama-clad body. Rei had worried he would try to work even in his condition when what he needed was rest. Like her, he took his duties at the shrine very seriously and hated when he was "indisposed," as he often liked to say. He turned his head toward her when she quietly entered the room and gave her a small, pathetic smile, which she returned.

"Ojii-san, I see you've finally taken my advice and stayed in bed. How are you feeling?"

"Not too good, I'm afraid, Rei-chan," he answered, hacking an ugly cough that sounded worse than when she had left to school that morning. "The fever hasn't gone down."

Setting down the tray on the floor beside his futon, Rei kneeled down and placed her hand on his forehead. It felt as if his whole face was on fire. "You're burning up!"

"It's not too bad."

"Not too bad? That is it. I'm calling Mizuno-sensei."

"No, please, don't," je said, weakly grabbing her wrist as she began to stand. "I'll be fine, really. I took my temperature shortly before you came in here. It's only 38.8 degrees. High, but not dangerous."

"But ojii-san…"

"Hey, don't I smell something delicious?" he asked, changing the subject.

Rei sighed, annoyed he still wouldn't let her call a doctor, but reached for the tray beside her. "Here, I made you some miso soup," she said as he struggled to sit up in his bed. She sat the tray down on his lap and removed the lid covering the bowl. "I hope it isn't too hot. I just made it a few minutes ago."

"I'm sure it is wonderful. Thanks." he said, taking the bowl inhis hands and bringing the warm liquid to his lips for a taste. "Mmm, delicious."

Once he was done, she took the tray away and again felt his forehead. His fever still concerned her, no matter what he said. Despite his protests, Rei left to take the tray back to the kitchen and came back with a pail of ice water and a washrag. She dunked the washrag into the water and wrung out the excess before placing it on his feverish forehead.

"Rei-chan, you don't need to do this. Shouldn't you be doing your chores or studying?"

"There aren't any visitors at the moment, and tomorrow is Saturday. No classes this week."

"But you might get sick as well."

"I guess I'll just have to take my chances, then," Rei said, looking out at the charm office. She had slid open one of the panels of his bedroom when she came back with the pail so she could keep an eye out for customers while she nursed him back to health. "The important thing is that you get better."

"I'd feel a lot better if you would stop fussing over me like a baby and concentrate on your work. There's no need for both of us to be indisposed. You know business isn't as good as it used to be, and with me unable to work…"

"But -"

"Please, Rei-chan. I'll be fine. You've done enough for now. The soup was wonderful, and I think my fever might be going down a little. Now, go out to the office and get to work. I think I hear a couple of girls giggling outside, probably wanting to buy a couple of love charms. You don't want to keep them waiting."

Rei knew he was right. Since her grandfather couldn't get out of bed at the moment, she was the only person left able to take care of the management of Hikawa, and they did need the money brought in from the donations. They couldn't afford to close the shrine for an entire day. It was bad enough they had to close when she went to school.

That didn't make it any easier for Rei to leave his side, though. He looked so pitiful and pale, wrapped up in his blanket with the cold compress against his forehead. She hated seeing him like that when she was accustomed to seeing him up and about. This illness brought home to her that her grandfather would not be around forever, but she didn't want to think about that. Perhaps it was better, as he said, to focus on hope rather than despair…

"Okay, ojii-san," Rei finally agreed, dunking the washrag one more time in the pail and placing it back before going over to the open bedroom panel leading outside. A quick glance showed her that he had been right about the two girls heading toward the office, gossiping and giggling. "Leave the care of the shrine to your successor granddaughter and try to get some rest. I'll check in on you later."

"Thank you, Rei-chan."

Rei stepped outside, keeping the panel open so that some of the cool spring air might come inside the bedroom, and entered the nearby office, where the schoolgirls were waiting. "Sorry to keep you," she apologized. "What would you like today? A charm? A fortune?"

The blonde girl began blushing profusely. "Two love charms, please."

"Here you go," Rei said, pulling out the charms from their slot. Vaguely, she noticed they were running low and wrote a mental note to make some more later. It seemed they could never keep enough love charms in stock. "That will be two hundred yen."

"Thanks."

The girls paid their donations and left, loudly admiring their new charms. Rei could hear them talking about how they both planned to give them to the upperclassmen they liked as they walked down the path to the torii, and she rolled her eyes. She wondered why all the girls she knew wanted boyfriends so badly. Even Ami, the girl who broke out into a terrible rash at the mere sight of a mushy love letter, occasionally couldn't resist sneaking a peak at a cute boy from behind one of her ever present books, though she would never admit to it. It perplexed Rei, but she had long ago stopped trying to figure it out.

It wasn't as if it mattered for her or the other guardian senshi, anyway. They had seen the future. Chances were none of them would ever get married. They would someday become Neo-Queen Serenity's guards and the protectors of Crystal Tokyo, not exactly a job fitted to marriage and raising a family. Rei couldn't say she was disappointed by the prospect. Her duty and love would always belong to the princess, as it should be. But she knew the others, especially Minako and Makoto, still carried their own hopes of finding true love like their prince and princess had.

Everybody had such big dreams for the future, too. Well, at least for the future before Usagi and Mamoru took the throne as queen and king of Earth. Rei remembered the day of the solar eclipse and how they had all wished on the disappearing sun as if it were a shooting star. Makoto wanted to become a bride, of course, but also planned on either running a bakery or a flower shop. Ami's dream was to become a wonderful doctor like her mother, and Minako wished to become a famous idol, with fans all around the country. Next to theirs, her dream seemed so small and insignificant.

Rei had always assumed she would stay at Hikawa and follow her grandfather as head priestess when he passed away, which would hopefully not happen for many years to come. For as long as she could remember, that had been the plan. It seemed only natural. Besides her grandfather, nobody loved Hikawa more than she did, and there was no other family to take care of it. But lately, Rei found herself questioning if that was really her dream, or if she only thought it was because she had convinced herself it was. What was her true dream?

Father Arakawa's words from earlier reverberated in the back of her mind as Phobos and Deimos, flying up ahead, dropped an arrow on the ground. She walked over and picked it up, examining the arrow.

_Your arrows are straying._

That was as good a metaphor as any to describe her life at the moment. She felt so confused and unfocused, like an arrow without a target, flying blindly in the air. Hino Rei would be content to spend the rest of her days at Hikawa, taking care of her grandfather and becoming a priestess, but Sailor Mars had bigger plans for her. Which path should she follow? Did she even have a choice anymore?

"Go! Phobos! Deimos!"

Finished with her inspection of the arrow, Rei threw it into the air. All her practice arrows were tied with red ribbon, and she laughed as she watched the crows grasp and tug at the bright strands of material, throwing the wooden cylinder to each other with their claws. Despite being named "Fear" and "Despair." they always made her feel as if no problem was too big.

She decided Sailor Mars would worry about the future when it arrived. Right now, she just wanted to be Hino Rei.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the open panel in his bedroom, Saburo watched his pretty granddaughter play with her pet crows, reminded of when she had first come to Hikawa nearly ten years ago. He thought of that day with fondness, a small smile gracing his whiskered lips.

It was hard to believe it had been that long ago. He remembered it clearly, as if it was only yesterday. How shy and timid Rei had been, so different from the confident and self-assured young lady of sixteen she had become. The sad little girl had blossomed into a woman right before his eyes, so much like her mother. She looked more and more like Takara everyday. Sometimes he found himself about to say his daughter's name to Rei, only just catching himself in time.

But the day was soon approaching, the day he knew would come eventually no matter how many times he prayed it wouldn't. As with Takara, he would have to let Rei go. Her destiny was far greater than being a simple Shinto priestess. That he had known from the moment he had set eyes on the girl hiding behind her father's legs.

Rei was special. She didn't truly belong there, in the humble shrine. Someday, she would find her true calling and fly like a phoenix from the ashes to the place where she really belonged. Saburo didn't know when or where it would happen, but he knew it was coming.

Feeling the onset of another coughing fit, Saburo finally broke his attention away from Rei and the crows and made his way back to the bed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, in the governor's office downtown, Keitaro was busy packing up what was left of his personal belongings into a large cardboard box. The elections had taken place a couple of weeks before, and as most political experts had predicted, he had easily beaten his opponent to become one of the newest members of the Diet. The office now belonged to the new governor of Tokyo, Kaidou Ace, who would be taking over next week after the inauguration, so he thought he would get a head start on clearing out his things.

Keitaro had expected it would be hard to leave the place where he had spent so many years dreaming and working, but he was strangely unemotional about his move to the Diet building. Books, files, and other miscellaneous objects were placed inside the box with little thought, almost mechanically, and he only paused every once in a while to determine whether or not something was important enough to keep. Those things that weren't were either tossed in the large trashcan he had borrowed from one of the janitors without a second thought or sent through the paper shredder.

His work developed into a steady rhythm after a while, unbroken until Keitaro reached the bottom drawer of his desk. The drawer mostly contained office supplies, most which he left for his successor, but much to his surprise, Keitaro found an old newspaper clipping underneath one of his staplers, which would have been hidden from view had he not moved the object out of the way. Curious, he reached for the yellowed paper and smoothed it out to read.

The words of the article were faded and hard to read, but the black-and-white picture beside the article was easy to identify even after sixteen years. It was a photo of his own inauguration, taken right outside the building on the steps after he had finished giving his speech. He was still behind the podium set up for the event, basking in the applause of the audience, while Takara stood off to the side, a proud smile on her face as she cradled baby Rei in her arms. Negishi was also there, standing next to him as the outgoing governor joined everybody else in clapping.

Sighing, Keitaro placed the box currently occupying his chair down on the floor and took a seat at his desk, setting the article flat on the clear surface. He'd forgotten all about the clipping. He faintly remembered that he had meant to give it to Takara, who had wanted to put it in the scrapbook she kept of all his mentions in the paper, but it must have gotten lost before he got the chance. It was amazing he would find it again on today of all days after so many years.

"You were always my biggest supporter, weren't you, Takara?" he asked the beaming woman in the photograph mournfully. "I wish you were here now. Becoming a Diet member doesn't seem nearly as exciting without you to share it with. Who will stand by me next week when I take my oath of office this time?"

The photo, unsurprisingly, did not answer. Keitaro frowned, about to crumple the old paper up and throw it in the trash when he heard a knock on the door. Since most everyone except him and the custodians had already left for the day, Keitaro was startled by the sudden sound. He hadn't been expecting company. Setting aside the article, he jumped up from his chair and went to answer the door.

"Kaidou-kun, what an unexpected surprise," Keitaro said when he recognized his late-night visitor as the governor-elect of Tokyo. "Or should I call you Kaidou-sama now?"

His former assistant shook his head. "Please don't, sir. I'm still not sure if I deserve that title myself. These past few weeks have been so crazy, it's hard to believe any of it is real."

"You'll get used to it in time, Kaidou-san," Keitaro said to his protégé, choosing the middle road. He stepped out of the way and motioned for the other man to enter. "Please, come inside and have a seat. I'm afraid I don't have much to offer you by way of refreshments, but if you would like, I can go to the soda machine down the hall in the break room and buy us some Cokes."

"No, that won't be necessary. I really only mean to stay for a few minutes," Kaidou said, taking the seat he was offered as Keitaro resumed his spot behind the desk. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is that? You've already thanked me numerous times for my assistance with your campaign. There's no need to say it again."

"This has nothing to do with politics, Hino-sama, although I truly do appreciate all your help. It is about ojii-sama."

"Negishi-sama?"

"I don't know if you have been informed of it, but ojii-sama is in the hospital again."

"No, I didn't know," Keitaro said softly. He had been so busy preparing for the elections and the move to the Diet building over the last couple of months, there hadn't been much time to visit with his former mentor. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes, he was checked in yesterday. The doctors aren't holding out much hope for recovery this time. They say there's nothing more they can do, so we're bringing him home tomorrow."

"Are they sure? There must be something the doctors can do."

"I'm afraid not. The medications just aren't working anymore, Hino-sama, and he refuses to go back on dialysis."

Exhaling loudly, Keitaro leaned back in his chair, letting the news sink in. He had no idea things were that bad. The last time he saw Negishi, the former governor had been in high spirits despite his poor health.

"Hino-sama?"

"Hmm?" Keitaro said, breaking from his thoughts. "Yes, Kaidou-san, what is it?"

"Well, ojii-sama has been asking for you," Kaidou informed him. "I know he would really like to see you again. We were hoping you would come over to the house tomorrow when we bring him home."

"I don't know," Keitaro hesitated, the thought of visiting Negishi on his deathbed bringing back bad memories. He spun around in his chair, not wanting Kaidou to notice how much the news of Negishi's decline had upset him. "I have much to do before next week, as I am sure you are well aware. I still need to hire a new staff and make the arrangements to move my things into the new office…"

"I know you are busy, sir, but ojii-sama might not live much longer. We don't expect him to make it to the inauguration. Please, come. It would make ojii-sama so happy to see you."

There was a long silence before Keitaro reluctantly agreed. No matter how much he may not want to see Negishi in the state he was in, he knew he would regret it if he didn't go. "Fine, I'll try to come tomorrow."

"Thank you, Hino-sama. Ojii-sama will really appreciate it. We'll see you tomorrow."

The governor-elect left soon after, quietly exiting the room after saying goodbye and closing the door behind him. Keitaro barely noticed his leaving, again lost in thought. Another person leaving him...

Reaching for the newspaper clipping, Keitaro sighed, crumpling the paper into a small ball in his hand before throwing it in the trash.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the next morning, her grandfather's condition still had not improved. Rei was not thrilled with the prospect of leaving him alone while she went to investigate the Dead Moon Circus with the other senshi, but when she tried to get out of going, he wouldn't hear of it, insisting she go have fun with her friends. So, after getting dressed, fixing him breakfast, and making him promise he would not secretly try to open the shrine and work a normal day while she was gone, Rei left for the circus with Phobos and Deimos in tow.

Everybody else was already there when she arrived, even Usagi, which Rei attributed to Mamoru's and Luna's efforts more than anything else. Their princess looked as if she could fall back asleep at any minute, but she and her future pink-haired daughter both significantly perked up at the sight of the colorful circus tent and the countless balloons being released into the air. A funny-looking clown near the ticket counter was loudly trying to sell seats for the show.

"It's the Dead Moon Big Circus Show!" he called, juggling a rainbow of balls in his hands. "Get your tickets here! Come see the big show and experience the wonder of the mysterious Amazon! Get your tickets here! Only ten thousand yen a seat - what a steal!"

"I'll say. They certainly are stealing our money," Rei grumbled, reaching into the pocket of her black jumper for her wallet. Her grandfather was sick with who knew what, and here she was, wasting good money to see some stupid circus act. That ten thousand yen could have been put to much better use.

"It is rather high," Makoto remarked, getting out her own money.

Minako nodded her head in agreement. "I know. What a rip-off! If these prices don't prove that the Dead Moon Circus is up to no good, then I don't know what does."

It was a sentiment shared by all present, but despite the grumbling, griping, and the occasional curse, everybody bought a ticket for the matinee performance - Rei cringed to think what seats at the later shows cost - and entered the circus grounds.

"Ooh, I want some ice cream, Mamo-chan!" Chibi-Usa said, holding onto her future father's hand and pulling him in the direction of a nearby concession stand. "Will you buy me one? Pretty please, with a cherry on top?"

"Hey, we didn't come here for fun, Chibi-Usa," Usagi scolded, grabbing onto Mamoru's other arm. "Besides, if he buys you an ice cream, I want one, too! And also some cotton candy and maybe a caramel apple or two..."

The handsome man in the middle sighed. "Do you girls think I'm made of money?"

"Yes!" both the odango-haired girls chorused, causing everybody to laugh. Even poor Mamoru was chuckling, accustomed to always having to buy things for his girls. Rei gave him ten minutes before he finally gave into their demands and bought the ice cream or whatever else triggered Usagi's notorious sweet tooth.

"Well, since the show doesn't start for another hour, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a look around the circus grounds," Luna said once the laughter had died down. "Let's split up and meet back at the tent at 11:45, unless you run into anything suspicious. I assume you all brought your communicators?" There were nods all around. "Okay, call for back-up if needed."

"Yes, ma'am," Usagi saluted.

Luna was not amused, shooting her mistress a pointed look that said she better take things seriously. "Remember this is an investigation, girls. You can have all the fun you want before the show begins, but keep your eyes and ears open for anything strange or suspicious."

The princess pouted. "Aw, you're no fun, Luna!"

No fun or not, Usagi perked back up when Chibi-Usa suggested she and Mamoru go ride the go-karts. She immediately decided to join them, and the trio left to get in line, the two girls attached to the long-suffering man's arms like dead weights.

The others soon followed, with Ami and Minako deciding to go to the wax museum they heard about from a passerby, Makoto wanting to try her luck at the carnival games, and the cats going wherever. The girls all asked if Rei wanted to join them, but she had politely refused. Instead, she took a stroll around the circus grounds, her two pet crows keeping her company, and like Luna said, kept her eyes and ears open for anything remotely suspicious.

It was strange. Rei had expected to feel an evil aura surrounding the circus, which was one of the reasons why she had brought Phobos and Deimos along with her, but she didn't. On the surface, the circus appeared to be completely innocent. People were laughing, children were playing, and lovers were walking hand-in-hand, the girls holding large plush toys in their free arms which their boyfriends had no doubt won at one of the booths that were set up all over the place. It was enough to make Rei wonder if their hunch about the Dead Moon Circus being behind the recent attacks was wrong. Other than the outrageous ticket prices, which Rei still considered a crime, there was no proof the circus had anything to do with what had been going on around town.

"Well, this is great," Rei muttered, kicking an empty soda can with her shoe. "Ojii-san's sick at home, and here I am, wasting my time at a circus. What am I? Ten again?"

Actually, when she thought about it, this was the first time she had attended a circus. Her parents had never taken her when she was little, and there was never enough time or money when she moved in with her grandfather at Hikawa. Rei remembered always wanting to go, though. It had sounded like so much fun when she overheard some neighborhood kids talking about it one time when the circus had come to town. She had been around five or six at the time, and she had dreamed of stuffing her face with cotton candy and seeing the circus act performed at the big top. Her mother had promised they would go on the last day the circus was performing, but that morning, she had had one of her more serious attacks. Her father, of course, had been too busy to take her, and Mrs. Yukana had to stay home to take care of her mother, so Rei had completely missed out on the fun.

Not being able to see the circus had been devastating. She must have cried for an hour when Mrs. Yukana told her they wouldn't be able to go. After her mother had recovered, though, she had called Rei to her room and promised her that the next time the circus was in town, they would go, just the two of them.

_"We'll have the best time, Rei-chan!"_

The best time…

The circus had returned exactly one year later, but they hadn't gone. One year later, her mother was dead.

 _Well, since I'm here, I might as well make the most of it_ , Rei thought, pushing the memory away. _Better late, than never, as the old saying goes_.

As Rei continued walking through the maze of games, rides, and people, she was surprised when she realized she was beginning to enjoy herself. The atmosphere of fun and jubilation around her was difficult to ignore. Rei felt herself being caught up in the excitement. It was as if all the weight on her shoulders - her grandfather's illness, her confusion about her future, her duty as a senshi - had been lifted away, and she was light as a feather. It had been a long time since she felt so…free.

"I feel like a kid again," she said, spinning around with her arms stretched out and her long hair spreading out like a fan.

"The circus will do that to you."

"Huh?"

Startled by the childish voice that seemed as if it came out of nowhere, Rei ceased her spinning and turned around. Nobody was there, but she did see a circular-shaped building that appeared to be completely made of multi-colored glass. A sign above the door said it was the House of Mirrors, and a couple was leaving.

"That was so pretty," the woman said. "Wasn't it?"

The smiling man nodded. "Yeah, it was fun."

Her curiosity piqued, Rei decided to take a peek inside, at least for a few minutes. The show was beginning soon and she needed to go meet the others, but she doubted they would mind if she was a little late.

Walking to the House of Mirrors, she paid the fee and went inside, the door slamming shut behind her.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minako glanced down at her watch, frowning. Most everybody had managed to make it back to the tent at more or less around the chosen time, but Rei and the cats were still missing in action. She was beginning to worry. It wasn't like Rei to be late. More often then not, she was the one scolding the others for their tardiness, not the other way around.

"Where is she?" Minako muttered to herself, pacing back in forth in front of the others. They were all sitting on the benches outside the tent, enjoying the ice cream cones Mamoru had generously bought, thanks to Usagi and Chibi-Usa twisting his arm.

"I'm sure Rei-chan is fine, Minako-chan," Makoto said. "If she ran into some trouble, she would have contacted us on the communicators. She probably just got lost or something like that. It is a big circus. She'll be here soon."

Minako sighed, tossing the rest of her strawberry ice cream cone into a nearby trashcan. She still wasn't convinced, unable to shake the feeling that something had happened to her best friend, but forced a small smile on her face. "I suppose you're right, Mako-chan. Rei-chan will be here soon."

 _Hopefully_ , she thought.

Over by the entrance of the tent, Minako noticed they were finally letting the audience inside to take their seats. A young pink-haired girl with a surprisingly developed body clad in a skimpy outfit was collecting tickets as people entered the big top. "The show is starting," she shouted. "Please make haste! Curtain time is 12:00 sharp. You don't want to miss our spectacular beginning."

"I guess we ought to go find our seats, then," Ami said, brushing the crumbs from her cone off her dress.

"But what about Rei-chan?" Usagi asked, taking the words right out of Minako's mouth. "She hasn't arrived yet."

"Luna and the others aren't here either," Makoto pointed out. "Oh, no, wait. There they come."

Sure enough, the trio of cats, a blur of black, white, and gray, were dashing toward them, going as fast as their little paws could take them. They apologized for being late, Luna scolding Artemis about his weakness for fish, then they all decided to go inside, assuming Rei would find them whenever she chose to show up.

Minako, along with the cats, was the last person in line, purposely dawdling behind the others. She hoped to see Rei running toward them at the last minute, but no such luck. Sighing, she stepped forward and gave the girl standing at the entrance her ticket.

"Hey, no cats allowed," the girl said. She blocked the entrance with her arm. "Your kitties have to stay outside."

"Are you sure?" Minako asked, surprised. She hadn't expected they would have any problems. "They're really good cats. They won't be any trouble at all. I promise."

"No cats. Get them out of here."

"Fine."

They walked a little distance away from the tent, and Minako bent down to pet Artemis. "Sorry, guys, it looks like you'll have to stay out here during the show," she whispered.

"It's not fair. I mean, really! Just because we're cats, we can't watch the circus show. I really wanted to see it," Diana pouted, glaring at the girl who wouldn't let them in.

"Well, since you can't, why don't you all see if you can find Rei-chan. I can't imagine what could be keeping her. She usually isn't so late."

"It is rather strange behavior for her," Artemis agreed. "She hasn't tried to contact any of you on the communicators?"

Minako shook her head. "No, I haven't seen or heard from her since me and Ami-chan left for the wax museum. Maybe I'm overreacting, but I'm starting to worry."

"Well, Phobos and Deimos are flying around over there, loud as usual," Luna said, pointing her tail toward the two black crows flying over the House of Mirrors. "Usually, wherever Rei-chan is, those two are sure to follow. We'll go check it out and contact you if we find anything. Meanwhile, you should stay with the others in case the Dead Moon Circus tries anything at the show. There's a lot of people inside that tent, so if they are going to try anything, it'll be a prime opportunity."

"Right."

Leaving the cats behind, Minako headed back to the tent and went inside. She found the others already in their seats in the tenth row, Usagi and Chibi-Usa sharing the enormous tub of popcorn sitting on Mamoru's lap. Minako sat down between Makoto and Ami and tried to focus on the show that was about to begin.

"Where are Luna and the others?" the brunette asked. "I thought they were supposed to be with you."

"That girl taking tickets wouldn't let them come inside, so I sent them on a mission to find Rei-chan."

"Rei-chan still hasn't come?" Ami asked.

"No, I'm afraid not."

Makoto frowned, standing from her seat. "That's weird. I really thought she would be here by now. Maybe we should go look for her…"

As much as Minako would have liked to go searching for her best friend, she shook her head. "We better not, Mako-chan. Luna thinks something might happen during the performance, so it wouldn't be a good idea to leave right now. We need to be here in case something goes wrong. Luna will contact us if they discover anything."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Minako-chan," Makoto said, sitting back down in her chair as the lights began to dim, signaling the start of the performance. "We'll look for her after the show."

Much to Minako's surprise, it actually was a fairly entertaining show. The stars were a quartet of acrobatic girls, one of them the rude girl who had collected the tickets earlier, and they were quite talented for appearing so young. Minako and the others sat mesmerized at the spectacle, unable to tear their eyes away.

However, as the show continued, Minako felt herself becoming dizzy and light-headed. A glance around at her companions and the other people in the audience showed her she wasn't the only one. Some had even passed out. What in the world was going on?

"My head's spinning…"

"This feels great!"

"This is so much fun!"

Minako blinked her eyes a couple of times, trying to focus. Something strange was going on in the tent. This must have been what Luna had warned her about. The Dead Moon Circus was putting their next plan into action, and the senshi needed to stop them. She tried to stand in order go outside to transform into Sailor Venus but found herself unable, falling right back in her chair. The others appeared not to be having any better luck.

Mamoru seemed to be the least affected by the spell or hypnotism or whatever it was that was doing this to them. He managed to at least stand, rubbing his temple. "I'm getting so dizzy," he said, glancing around as he tried unsuccessfully to walk to the aisle. "We should go outside for a little, get some fresh air… The exit… Where is it? There are no exits!"

"What? That can't be -" Lifting her head up just a little, ignoring her vertigo, Minako's eyes widened as she realized Mamoru was right.

All the exits had disappeared.

They were trapped.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The clicking of her high heels against the floor was the only sound that greeted Rei as she entered the House of Mirrors, echoing throughout the empty chamber. Besides her, no one else was around. It looked like she had the whole place to herself, which didn't surprise Rei too much. They probably only let a few people inside at a time in order not to spoil the effect of the mirrors. Too many people, and things would quickly get confusing as you wondered if the person you were seeing was real or simply a reflection. Still, she thought there would be at least a couple of other people with her.

Making it to the center of the room, Rei paused and glanced around at her surroundings. The walls were made completely of mirrors, all brightly polished to perfection, and formed a decagonal shape around her. It almost gave Rei the feeling she was inside some kind of prism or crystal. It was indeed very pretty, as the woman had said.

Strangely, though, she couldn't see her reflection in any of the mirrors. Rei stepped forward toward one of the mirrors and placed her hand against it, realizing too late she would probably smudge the polish by touching it. Still, she didn't pull away, intrigued.

"The mirrors aren't reflecting anything? I wonder what kind of trick they used to do this. I'll have to ask Ami-chan if she knows…"

"Don't bother. There's no secret or trick."

Gasping, Rei pivoted on her heel. "Who's there?" she asked, confused when she saw nobody else had entered the room.

Instead of answering, the voice continued. "The reflection in the mirror is deciding on your true form, Rei-chan."

The voice sounded eerily familiar. In fact, too familiar. "Who are you?" Rei asked again. "Why do you sound like me? And how do you know my name?"

"Because I am you."

In what had been the blank mirror in front of her, an image slowly began to appear. A raven-haired girl dressed in the same white long-sleeved blouse, black jumper, and beaded choker Rei wore stared at her with amethyst eyes, her left hand pressed against the glass where Rei's right was touching in a perfect mirror image.

"What? It's me?"

"Greetings, me."

 _It has to be the enemy_ , Rei thought, backing a little away from the mirror. They had been right; the Dead Moon Circus was behind the recent happenings.

"What do you want?" Rei demanded, on guard in case she was attacked.

The mirror image Rei giggled. "Nothing. I'm here to show you your true feelings."

"My true feelings?"

"I know you, Rei-chan. I know you better than you know yourself. You've always been an unhappy girl, haven't you?"

"What do you know?" Rei asked. "You're nothing but a reflection! You don't know anything about me or anything else."

"Oh, but I do. I know plenty."

The vision's eyes, identical to her own, lowered, and she hid her hands behind her back. "Okaa-sama passed away when I was a little girl," the vision began softly. "She was born with a weak heart, and she always seemed so fragile to me. Sometimes, I was afraid to hug her in fear she would break, but okaa-sama always assured me she wouldn't. She was such a beautiful person, both inside and out. I wanted to be just like her. I was so sad when she died. I didn't want her to leave me. I thought we would always be together, like she said we would. Okaa-sama lied to me. I hate her for that."

"That's not true!" Rei said hoarsely. "I loved her! I loved okaa-sama with all my heart! Don't say things like that."

The vision didn't appear to hear her, continuing its web of lies. "Otou-sama, on the other hand, was a bad man. He hated me from the moment I was born. He didn't care about any of us; all he cared about was damned politics. He always disappointed us, me and okaa-sama. I bet he was glad when she died. He couldn't wait until okaa-sama was gone so he could finally ship me away. Having a freak for a daughter would ruin his precious image."

Unpleasant memories of her first day at the Academy surfaced at the vision's words, and Rei clenched her fists, just as she had done when she overheard Tanaka Sayo telling her friends her theory about why her had sent her away. "I'm not a freak! It wasn't like that! Not at all! Otou-sama was sad when okaa-sama died. I remember walking into his office the day of her funeral and sensing his pain and anger. It was so horrible. I wish I could have comforted him, but somehow I only made things worse. Yes, it's true that I still don't understand why he sent me away, and I don't think we will ever be close, but I don't think he's a bad person. He loved us! Okaa-sama said so."

In the mirror, the vision shook her head. "You poor, naïve little girl," she said. "You still don't get it, do you? Nobody loves me. Not even ojii-san. Why else would he not have visited me when his daughter, my mother, was still alive? He barely knew I existed until otou-sama forced him to take me in. Ojii-san only did it for the money. I know otou-sama sends him big, fat checks in the mail every month, including huge donations to the shrine. To him, I'm nothing more than cheap labor and a means to keep Hikawa in business. He doesn't care about me at all."

"Stop it! That's not true!"

Not wanting to stay and listen to the lies any longer, Rei ran to the exit. She jiggled the doorknob, swearing under her breath when she discovered it locked, and began banging against door. "Let me out of here!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "This isn't fun. Open this door right now. I demand a refund! Isn't anybody out there?"

Girlish giggles ringed in her ears, taking pleasure in her distress. "Rei-chan, it's no use. You can't hide from your true feelings. You know I'm right. About everything."

Rei whipped back around to find that the vision had multiplied. In every mirror panel, an exact replica of herself taunted her. "What's going on here?" she asked, flattening herself against the wall. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"It's time to face the truth, Rei-chan, to be happy. That's what you really want, isn't it?"

"I am happy! I have wonderful friends and -"

"Friends?" the visions scoffed. "Please! Those girls wouldn't have anything to do with me if I wasn't Sailor Mars. Who would ever want to be friends with a freak like me? Usagi-chan, Minako-chan, and the others - they're just using me. They don't really care about me at all. I'm so tired of fighting with them. It's so limiting…limiting…limiting…"

She had heard quite enough. Covering her ears with her hands to block out the army of voices around her, Rei shouted, "No, that's not true! I don't think that. Enough! That isn't true. Nothing you've said is true. It's a lie!"

Much to her surprise, the voices abruptly stopped, though the reflections remained, appearing perfectly innocent. Rei slowly lowered her hands from the side of her head, breathing heavily. Had she finally gotten rid of them?

No. Footfalls began coming toward her, quiet at first, but growing louder with every step. Rei had no idea how someone had managed to enter the House of Mirrors when she was blocking the door, but she instinctively reached for an ofuda scroll in her pocket, feeling an evil presence nearby. Her gaze lifted from the floor to see that while nobody else was physically in the room, one of her reflections had been joined by some pretty boy with long orangeish hair.

"It's time to think about my own happiness," the main vision said, draping her arm possessively across the handsome stranger's chest. "What I want is to find a friend who is all mine, a cute guy who will love only me and make me forget all about all the people who never did. Okaa-sama, otou-sama, ojii-san, the other senshi, even Kaidou-san - they never really loved me. I deserved to be loved…"

As Rei watched, the vision then pulled the man toward her. Her arms wrapped around the man's neck, and he rested his hands intimately on her hips. The two kissed, causing Rei's stomach to churn in disgust. That wasn't what she wanted at all!

"Akuryo taisan!" she yelled, letting the ofuda scroll fly toward the mirror.

It hit the man on the forehead, causing him to disappear along with the other possessed visions of herself. All that was left was her regular reflection, panting as heavily as she was. Rei collapsed to her knees, coughing a little. The attack had taken a lot out of her, but she was glad it was finally over. She didn't know how much more she could have taken of the so-called "revelations" of her soul.

"Such horrible things…" she murmured. "I don't really think those kinds of things, do I?"

She didn't have much time to ponder the question. Only moments after she thought she had broken whatever spell was cast over the House of Mirrors, Rei felt an evil presence once again.

"Well, I might kiss a man I don't like once or twice…" the familiar voice said, Rei gasping when she saw the evil reflection had returned, along with the man. They were now dressed in wedding clothes. "…but my goal is to marry a rich man. That is true happiness. Forget about becoming a priestess. Being head priestess of a shrine is a joke. I want to spend the rest of my life in comfort and luxury."

Rei's eyes flashed with burning anger as she pushed herself back off the floor and reached for her transformation pen. That was it! That stupid supposed reflection of hers didn't know anything. It was time to do what she should have done when the reflection had first appeared. She tossed the pen high in the air and called out "Mars Star Power Make-Up!" at the top of her lungs, invoking the ancient power of the planet of war.

Rei expected to feel the familiar heat of the flames encasing her body as she transformed into Sailor Mars, but instead, she felt only pain. Her transformation wasn't working. She was at a loss for what had happened.

"What's going on?" she asked aloud. "Why isn't it working? Why can't I transform? Did I do something wrong?"

No answer came to her as Rei felt herself weakening under the intense pain. Before she even knew what had hit her, she was on the ground, her aching body screaming for rest. Her cloudy mind struggled to make sense of what was happening, but it was no use. Violet eyes fluttered close as Rei finally surrendered to her unconsciousness, and a childish voice commanded someone named Tigerseye to devour her body and soul.

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When Keitaro arrived at Negishi's house that afternoon, a familiar feeling of dread fell over him as he walked to the entrance and rang the doorbell. He didn't know why he had even decided to come. From what Kaidou told him about his grandfather's condition, Negishi was in bad shape. Maybe he wasn't even up to having visitors, despite Kaidou's claim that Negishi had specifically asked to see him. Perhaps he should leave and come back when Negishi was feeling better…

Keitaro shook his head. No, he was just making excuses.

The butler answered the door a few seconds later and showed him inside, retrieving an extra pair of slippers for Keitaro to wear. He then led Keitaro upstairs to an elegant sitting room connected to one of the bedrooms, presumably where the elderly former governor was resting. Keitaro took a seat on one of the couches next to Kaidou Ruri and her youngest daughter, finding it the only empty spot in the room, and looked around.

The rest of Negishi's family had already gathered, all somber and quiet as they kept vigil. Ruri's husband Taro was sitting in the armchair located in the corner of the room, smoking a pipe, as was his habit. Over on the loveseat, their teenaged daughter sat with Negishi's current wife, who was significantly younger than her ailing husband. Kaidou and Yuri, along with their year-old son, took the other couch, sharing with the first Mrs. Negishi, his only real love, and the final chair was occupied by Negishi's long-time friend, Kaidou Subaru, the patriarch of the Kaidou family.

"How is he, Ruri-san?" Keitaro inquired of Negishi's plump, auburn-haired daughter, keeping his voice low as not to disturb the quiet of the room.

Ruri shook her head mournfully, stroking her daughter's soft curls as the girl rested her head against her mother's bosom. "Not good, I'm afraid," she answered. "The doctor is with otou-sama now, dispensing some more pain medication. Hongo-sensei says there's nothing more medical science can do for him except to make his passing as painless as possible."

"He's dying?" Keitaro asked, not really in shock, as he had expected as much from what Kaidou had told him, but nevertheless distressed.

"Yes, it won't be long now. We've already begun the preparations for the funeral."

"I see."

"I'm glad you could come," Ruri continued. "Otou-sama has always thought so highly of you, and he's been asking to see you."

"Your son told me as much, although I have yet to understand why."

"It's not that difficult to understand, is it?" she asked with a small smile. "Otou-sama always wanted a -"

Before Ruri could finish her sentence, the door leading to the bedroom soundlessly slid open, and the doctor stepped out. Subaru, who was sitting nearest to him, stood from his chair.

"How is Shinji-san, Hongo-sensei?" he asked.

Adjusting the glasses on his serious face, Dr. Hongo turned to the rest of the family. "For the time being, Negishi-san is comfortable," he announced. "I don't see any reason why he can't receive visitors, as long as you don't overwhelm him all at once. I must warn you all though, he is under heavy medication, which may affect his personality and behavior. Don't be alarmed if he seems disoriented or acts in a way to which you are not accustomed - it's perfectly normal when under the influence of painkillers. Please contact me on my beeper if anything happens. I'll be back in a few hours to administer the next dosage."

"Thank you, Doctor. We appreciate it," Subaru said, walking the doctor to the door. When he had left, the elderly man turned back around. "Who would like to go in to see Shinji-san first?"

"I think Hino-san should, Kaidou-otou-sama," Ruri volunteered, surprising Keitaro, who assumed the family would be given preference over him. "The rest of us have already said our goodbyes for the most part. Let him go in. Otou-sama wants to see him."

"Very well. Hino-san?"

Slowly, Keitaro forced himself to rise from the couch, walked over to the door, which Subaru held open for him, and stepped inside.

Negishi's bedroom was dark, save for a small lamp sitting on one of the nightstands. It provided just enough light to see the figure of a man laying in the center of a majestic, king-sized bed, his weakened body clad in velvet pajamas and wrapped in sheets of silk. He was almost unrecognizable to Keitaro, and he couldn't hold back a gasp of surprise at the sight of his once-rotund idol appearing so small and fragile.

"Who's there?" the old man asked, his sightless eyes turning in the direction of the door. His voice was raspy, as if it was a struggle to speak, and barely above a whisper. "Subaru-san?"

Silently, Keitaro made his way over to the bed and sat down on the mattress, careful not to disturb Negishi too much. He then reached for his mentor's frail, wrinkled hand and brought it to his face. "No, it's me, Negishi-sama," he whispered. "Keitaro."

"Keitaro-san?" Negishi's chapped lips cracked into a small smile. "I was hoping you would come."

"Of course I came. How are you feeling, sir?"

"Oh, as well as a dying man can expect to feel, I suppose," Negishi answered with a dry laugh that quickly progressed into a mild coughing fit.

Keitaro poured him a glass of water from the pitcher left on the nightstand and guided it to his lips. "Don't say things like that, Negishi-sama," he said once the water had gone down and the coughing stopped. "You don't know you're going to die."

"But I do, my boy, I do. You don't need to pretend for my sake. Hongo-sensei has already told me they don't expect me to live that much longer, maybe not even through the night. It won't be long now. That's why I came home, to die here surrounded by the people I care about."

"You've accepted it, then?" Keitaro asked.

The dying man nodded slowly. It seemed his every movement took every last bit of strength he had. "I'm tired, Keitaro-san," Negishi said. "It's time for me to rest."

"But -"

"Dying isn't so bad, really. The doctors have me so doped up, I can hardly feel a thing. Rather nice way to kick the bucket, don't you think?"

Though he was aware Negishi couldn't see, Keitaro turned his face away from the man he had considered his idol, surprised to feel his eyes were watering with emotion. "How can you be so flippant about this?" he demanded to know. "You're dying, and all you can do is make stupid jokes. Death is not funny!"

Negishi chuckled, which only infuriated Keitaro more. "You never did have much of a sense of humor, did you? I always told Wataru-san you were too serious for your own good."

"Well, I apologize if I don't find anything particularly humorous about this situation."

"No, I guess it isn't all that funny, is it?" Negishi sighed, rolling his head so he stared blankly at the ceiling. He folded his hands on his stomach. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to be so inconsiderate of your feelings. I suppose joking around is my way to deal with all this, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I won't do it anymore.

"Thank you," Keitaro whispered before clearing his throat. He then continued in a stronger voice. "Your grandson said you wanted to see me. Is there something you wanted to tell me or have me do?"

"What? I can't just want to see you one more time before I die without some ulterior motive?"

"Of course you can, but I'm not family or anyone important like that. All I am is the nephew of one of your best friends."

Negishi shook his head. "No, Keitaro-kun, you're much more than that," he said, surprising Keitaro with the use of the less formal "-kun" instead of the usual "-san". "Did I ever tell you the story of the last time I spoke to your uncle before he died?"

"No, you didn't," Keitaro answered, unsure of where their conversation was heading. "What about it?"

"Before Wataru-san died, he asked me for a favor," Negishi explained. "He knew he wouldn't live much longer, so he wanted me to promise I would look after you for him when he was gone. It was a little silly, I know, considering you were already away at college when he died and were well past the age of needing to be taken care of by a parent, but I promised anyway. I swore to Wataru-san I would take you as the son I never had."

"You think of me as your son?"

Negishi nodded. "Yes. I admit I probably wasn't the best father figure at times, but I did try… And I do love you, my son. I am as proud of you as any father could be."

Keitaro drew in a sharp breath as the blind man managed to find his hand and wrapped his cold, bony fingers around his own. He didn't quite know how to respond to Negishi's revelation. It was unexpected, yet at the same time, he realized he had felt the same. After his uncle died, it was Negishi he went to for guidance and advice, whether it was political or personal. He had looked up to him as a man to admire and to emulate, someone to idolize as a child worships his father. Negishi wasn't perfect, he knew, but the old man had cared for him in his own special way, and he loved him for that.

Too bad he had realized it too late.

"Negishi-sama, don't go," Keitaro begged, his voice an urgent whisper. "Please, I-I don't want to lose you, too. I can't lose another person I care about. Don't go…"

"Keitaro-kun, it's time," Negishi said with a small smile. "I said everything I needed to say. Now say goodbye and send Hoshiyo in here so I may die a happy man."

"B-But…"

"Will you deny a man his final dying wish? Please, Keitaro-kun, go. I've never been a man who liked long goodbyes, and I know you aren't either. This is for the best. Just say farewell, and perhaps we may see each other again."

Keitaro didn't want to leave, but reluctantly, he pried his hand from the dying man's grasp and stood back up. "Goodbye, Negishi-sama," he said, forcing his voice not to crack.

"Goodbye, son."

With their goodbyes said, Keitaro exited the room to tell Hoshiyo, Negishi's first wife, to come back in. One hour later, Negishi Shinji died in the arms of the only woman he had ever loved.

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"Mars… Mars… Wake up, our Princess Mars…"

Two voices were calling to her through the darkness. One was sweet and clear, a beautiful lyric soprano, while the other was deep and womanly, an alto to compliment her partner. They were unfamiliar to the dark-haired girl sprawled on the cold floor, yet strangely, it seemed as if she should know them, perhaps from another lifetime. In any case, she didn't feel threatened by their presence. She sensed two auras of goodness and knew whoever they were, they were not the enemy.

"Who's there?" Rei asked, struggling to open her heavy eyelids. She was still weak from whatever happened to her but could feel herself regaining some of her strength. She managed to push up the upper part of her body, propping her weight on her elbows, and focused on the sight in front of her.

The voices belonged to two sprites, barely taller than some of the dolls in her toy collection. They both wore one-piece body suits - one red and the other black - trimmed with some kind of iridescent, wing-like material on the back and buttocks and black lace-up high heels. Both also had long, raven black hair - half-pulled into a style made famous by Princess Leia from the Star Wars movies to cover their ears - and blood red eyes. Each held a feather in one of their hands, which they used to direct her attention to an image forming in one of the mirrors.

Rei's eyes widened when the image became clear enough to make out. It showed her friends back at the circus tent, apparently under some kind of hypnotizing spell. Enraged by the sight of the people she loved in danger and knowing she needed to help them, the rest of Rei's strength returned, and she sat up, momentarily forgetting about the sprites by her side.

"Everyone! They're in danger!" Rei exclaimed, silently cursing herself for her stupidity. She couldn't believe she had been so gullible. If anything happened to Minako, Usagi, and the others, she would never forgive herself. "Oh, no! I should have been there instead of being tricked by the enemy. I have to help them!"

"That is the Princess Mars we love!" the two voices chorused in beautiful harmony.

Reminded of their presence, Rei turned her attention back to the fairy-like girls. She blinked a couple of times as she attempted to remember how she knew them. They seemed so familiar to her, somehow, although she was positive she had never seen them before during her lifetime as Hino Rei. She surely would have remembered if she had, but she couldn't shake away the feeling of recognition. Their auras almost perfectly matched those belonging to…

No, that couldn't be right. Could it?

Rei gasped upon noticing the raven feathers in their hands, all but confirming her suspicions. "Y-You…" she stuttered. "Are you…?"

The identical girls shared a private smile before nodding. "Yes, Rei-chan, we are your guardians," the deep-voiced one in black said.

"Please, allow us to introduce ourselves," the other said, bowing to Rei with her partner in perfect unison. "My name is Phobos."

"And I am Deimos. What a pleasure it is to finally meet you again, Princess Mars."

Phobos and Deimos, her pet crows - Rei was stunned by the revelation. In all the years she had known them, never once had she suspected they were anything more than mischievous birds with an unusual attachment to her. Yes, it did seem at times as if she could communicate with them, and they had assisted her a few times while fighting as Sailor Mars, but this… This was unbelievable.

Even more unbelievable, though, was when the two joined hands, causing her to be nearly blinded by the appearance of a bright red light. When the brightness finally faded away, Rei saw a heart-shaped crystal had mysteriously formed between them and started floating toward her.

"You must transform and save your friends, Princess Mars," Phobos said. "This is your new Mars Crystal."

Deimos nodded. "Quick, use it to transform! Then strike the enemy with your Mars Arrow. We know you can do it!"

"Phobos! Deimos!"

Rei grasped the crystal in her hands just as the two sprites disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She didn't even have the opportunity to ask them why they had appeared or how to use the glowing crystal they had given her, but she didn't have time to worry about that now. Her friends were in danger.

"The Mars Crystal? My crystal?" she said to herself, cradling the red stone in her palms as she tried to focus on the power she could feel within. The words Rei needed came to her like a whisper in the back of her mind, and pressing the crystal against her chest, she threw her free arm in the air and yelled "Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"

With those words, a red light covered her body, and Rei felt a blaze of fire coursing through her veins like nothing she had ever felt before. It was euphoric. Rei closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensation, realizing how silly she was to have doubted herself. She had lost her way, but she had found her dream again. She was the soldier of fire who had pledged loyalty to Princess Serenity. To protect the princess, the planet, and her comrades, the people she loved so dearly - that was her dream.

When the transformation was complete, Rei was dressed in her usual red-and-purple sailor fuku, except the bow at the small of her back was longer, her sleeves were different, and the ornaments on her choker and front bow had changed to a star and a heart, respectively. She also held a new weapon in her hands, the Mars Arrow.

"Rei-chan," the mellifluous voice of Kaioh Michiru, also known as the absent Sailor Neptune, mysteriously sounded in her ears. "You outshine everyone with your nerves and senses. Always hone that, and when you think you are being taken advantage of by the enemy, stretch a line taut with your soul. Then, with your whole body and soul, shoot the arrow of your finishing blow."

Rei did just that, the outline of a bow made of light forming in her hands as she drew back her arrow. This time, she would not miss her target. Aiming for the ferocious tiger who had suddenly appeared in the room, she released the fatal arrow and shouted "Mars Flame Sniper!", destroying both the animal and the House of Mirrors, which shattered into millions of tiny pieces before disappearing into thin air. Rei then turned and ran towards the circus tent to help the others, meeting Luna, Artemis, and Diana on the way.

Much to her relief, when Rei arrived, she discovered whatever spell had been cast over the circus tent must have been broken when she destroyed the House of Mirrors. Everyone had gotten out safely, although they didn't seem to remember much about what had happened. Makoto was yawning as if she had just woken from a long nap, and the others looked just plain confused.

"Are you all okay?" Rei asked, running over with the cats.

"Yeah, we're fine," Minako said, smiling as she moved to hug her friend. "Rei-chan, you're okay! We were worried about you. Where have you been?"

"I was fighting the enemy. We were right. The Dead Moon Circus must be behind all this."

"What? You fought them? Why didn't you call for help on the communicators?"

"There wasn't time," Rei answered. "When I was passing by the House of Mirrors, I felt myself strangely drawn inside their trap, and the mirrors kept showing me these horrible delusions. The enemy is obscene, playing dirty mind tricks and preying on the doubts inside you! I think they might be after us. We need to be careful."

"Dammit," Mamoru cursed. "Using the circus show to brainwash innocent people, as well as preying on us… We can't let them get away with it!"

Rei nodded in complete agreement, turning back toward the circus tent. "We have to stop the Dead Moon Circus before more people fall into their trap. It is our duty to protect the people of this city. That is our dream!"

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Back at the shrine, Saburo coughed, his sore, dry throat aching from the effort. He was dying of thirst, but a look inside the pitcher Rei had left for him before she went to the circus that morning revealed it was empty. Groaning, he managed to sit up in his bed, ignoring the slight bout of dizziness he felt at the motion and headed to the kitchen, pitcher in hand.

Once there, he turned on the faucet and filled the plastic pitcher with water. He didn't even bother looking for a glass, bringing the pitcher to his chapped lips for a drink. The cool liquid felt wonderful going down his throat, and Saburo drank greedily, almost consuming half the container before setting it back down on the counter beside the sink. He then headed to the refrigerator, figuring he might as well make himself a sandwich for lunch since he was already there. Hopefully, it would stay down this time. Saburo didn't want a repeat of what happened after breakfast shortly after Rei left.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked himself as he prepared the ham and cheese sandwich at the counter. "Why won't this silly cold or bug or whatever it is just go away? I am so tired of feeling this way."

Saburo was beginning to think Rei was right about his illness being something more than a simple common cold. He had never felt so terrible in his entire life. He was weak and tired all the time. It could have been because of his age, but no matter how hard he tried to deny it, Saburo knew he was getting worse instead of better.

Sighing, he finished making the sandwich, but lost his appetite almost as soon as he took the first bite. His stomach was upset again, and it was a miracle he made it to the sink in time before he threw up again. He finished off the rest of the nearby pitcher, rinsing away the horrible taste out of his mouth, and slid down to sit on the floor, his back leaning against the cabinet.

He would have gone back to his bedroom, but the fatigue was overwhelming him. Saburo doubted he would make it to his bed without collapsing. All he needed was a little rest, and then he could go back before Rei noticed he had disobeyed her orders…

He soon nodded off, turning what was meant to be a short rest into a full-blown nap. There was no telling how long he sat there, lightly snoring into his chest. The next thing Saburo noticed was the voice of his granddaughter calling out she was home from the circus from the living area, stirring him awake.

"Oh, no, Rei-chan…" he whispered hoarsely as he struggled to stand. Saburo reached for the edge of the counter and tried to pull himself up with little success. "I can't let her see me like -"

"Ojii-san?"

It was too late. Saburo didn't need to turn around to know Rei was standing behind him in the doorway, most likely wearing that look on her face that had become almost the norm ever since he first got sick. Though he knew she was only concerned about him and wanted what as best for him, he was growing to hate that look that made him feel more like the child instead of the adult of the house. Defeated, he let go of his grip and slumped back down on the floor.

"Rei-chan, you're home already?" he asked pleasantly, forcing a grin on his face. "Did you have a nice time at the circus with your friends?"

His granddaughter ignored his questions, instead kneeling down on the floor beside him. Her eyes were filled with concern, but that didn't stop her from gently scolding him. "Ojii-san, what are you doing in here?" she asked. "You're sick. You should be in bed resting, not trying to cook dinner or whatever it is you were doing. I told you I would take care of everything. You promised me you would take it easy while I was gone."

"It wasn't like that. Honestly, I just came in here to refill the pitcher and make myself a sandwich. I was going to go straight back to bed…"

"But you were too weak to make it back," she finished for him, her face softening. "I'm sorry. I knew I shouldn't have gone out today. I should have stayed here, or at least asked somebody to come check in on you while I was gone."

"I'm fine, sweetheart. Really, I am."

To prove it, Saburo reached for the counter ledge once again to pull himself back up. He managed to stand, but as soon as he began trying to walk, his legs gave out from underneath him. He fell, stumbling to the ground, and Rei ran over to help him.

"Ojii-san, are you okay?" she asked, sounding more worried than ever as she helped him sit back up. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, no, it was just a silly little fall. Nothing to worry about."

Rei didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Rei-chan," he insisted. "It's nothing."

"Well, at least let me help you back to your bed," she said, not taking no for an answer.

Despite his protests, Rei helped him stand up and assisted him back to the bedroom and onto the futon. She then wrapped Saburo tightly in the blankets to combat the sudden chills that had come over him even though he was visibly sweating and took his temperature.

"39.1 degrees," she said, reading the thermometer. It was even higher than the day before. "Ojii-san, this is not good. Fever, chills, sweating, extreme fatigue, loss of muscle control… You have to let me call Mizuno-sensei. Something is seriously wrong."

Saburo weakly shook his head, stubborn even after all that had happened. "No, don't, little one," he begged. "There's no money for a doctor. I'll be okay. I'll stay in bed, and in a couple of days, I'll be better. I promise…"

He began coughing again, and Rei ran back to the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with the pitcher and a glass in her hands. She poured him a drink and gave him some over-the-counter medicine to take with it. Saburo made a face at the sight of the pills, but swallowed them anyway, hoping if he cooperated, Rei would forget about getting a doctor.

No such luck. After his granddaughter was sure he had taken his medicine like a good little patient, she stood and started heading toward the open door.

"Rei-chan, where are you going?" Saburo asked.

"I am going to call Ami-chan and see if her mother can come by Hikawa once her shift at the hospital is over," she informed him in a voice that said the matter was nonnegotiable. "Then I am going to close the shrine for the rest of the day and get started on another batch of Mako-chan's miso soup."

"But I thought I told you -"

"Don't worry about the money, ojii-san. I'll get it one way or another. You should rest, and I'll be back in about thirty minutes with the soup. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen, so just call for me. I'll come as soon as I can."

Saburo opened his mouth to protest, but by then Rei was already leaving the room, sliding the door shut behind her.

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"Hello? Mizuno Ami speaking," Ami said, answering the phone after the second ring. "May I ask who is calling, please?

Rei sighed, relieved that Ami was home. She had been worried that she might have been at one of her cram school classes or at the library. "Ami-chan, it's me, Rei."

"Rei-chan?" Ami seemed surprised by the call. The two of them were good friends, of course, but it was rare for either of them to call the other on the phone. "Is something wrong? Do you need help with a homework problem or something?"

"No, it's nothing like that," Rei said, smiling just a little bit at the conclusion Ami had jumped to about the reason behind her call. She imagined Usagi, Minako, and Makoto called upon the girl genius quite a lot to help them with their schoolwork. "It's about ojii-san."

"Oh, how is Kondo-sama? Is he feeling any better yet?"

Her eyes drifting to the closed door leading to her grandfather's bedroom as she listened to Ami's questions, Rei's mouth set into a frown, and she silently cursed her stupidity. She was still angry with herself for going to the Dead Moon Circus with the others on senshi business when she should have stayed at the shrine and taken care of her grandfather. Better yet, she should have made him go to the doctor when his cold still hadn't improved by that morning.

"I'm afraid not," Rei said, turning her attention back to the conversation after a short pause. "He seems to be getting worse. When I arrived back at Hikawa, I found him on the floor in the kitchen, too weak to even stand by himself. I had to help him back to his room. His fever is really high, too, and he's complaining of chills though he's sweating like a pig. I think he might have even vomited a couple of times while I was gone."

"Rei-chan, you need to let a doctor examine him. That doesn't sound like your run-of-the-mill common cold."

"I know. That's why I called you. Is your offer to ask Mizuno-sensei to come check on him still available? We don't have the money to pay her right away, but if she could wait a couple of days…"

"You don't have to do that. I told you okaa-san wouldn't mind working free of charge."

"I said I'll get the money, Ami-chan," Rei insisted, refusing to hear any more about accepting charity. "But can your mother come tonight after she's done working at the hospital? What time does her shift usually end?"

"It varies most of the time, but she told me this morning that she would be home around nine."

"That sounds fine. Do you think she would be willing to come?"

"Of course, she will, Rei-chan. I've already told her a little about Kondo-sama's illness, and she said she would be happy to help in anyway she can. I'll call her at the hospital and tell her to go."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Would you like me to come over there, too? I can keep you company while you wait and help you take care of Kondo-sama."

"No, that won't be necessary, Ami-chan. I can handle things here by myself. You probably have a lot of studying to do, anyway."

"Are you sure? My homework is nothing that can't wait. I'm already about two weeks ahead in all my classes, so it wouldn't kill me to take a break if you wanted me to help you."

"No, I'll be fine, but thank you for asking," Rei said, touched by Ami's offer nevertheless. She really was a good friend. "I suppose I should be going now. I promised ojii-san I would make him another batch of Mako-chan's miso soup. I'll see you later."

"Okay, goodbye, Rei-chan, and don't worry too much about Kondo-sama. Okaa-san's one of the best doctors in Tokyo, and I know she'll do everything she can to help him. He's in good hands."

"Thank you, Ami-chan. Goodbye."

Placing the receiver back in its cradle before heading to the kitchen to start on the soup, Rei prayed Ami was right.

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As Ami had predicted, Dr. Mizuno Saeko arrived at the Hikawa shrine a little after nine o'clock that evening. Rei, hearing the knock, stood from the silent vigil she was holding beside a sleeping Saburo's futon and went to answer the front door.

"Good evening, Mizuno-sensei," Rei greeted the doctor as she showed the attractive blue-haired woman inside. Once again, she was struck by how much Dr. Mizuno looked like an older version of her daughter with the same navy blue eyes and matching hair cut stylishly short. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know this is highly irregular, and you're probably tired after your shift at the hospital…"

Dr. Mizuno waved her comments away. "It's not a problem, Hino-san," she assured her. "I'm happy to help one of Ami-chan's dear friends in any way I can. You and the other girls have done so much for my daughter, this is the least I can do. How is your grandfather?"

"Ojii-san's sleeping peacefully at the moment, but for a while, he was experiencing chills and sweating, as well as vomiting. He also has a very high fever. The last time I checked, it was over 39 degrees."

The doctor nodded, taking a few notes on the notepad she had pulled out of her lab coat. "Ami-chan told me as much," Dr. Mizuno said. "She also said he's experiencing extreme fatigue. Is that true?"

"Yes, I had to help him back into bed this afternoon when I came home from the circus because his legs were too weak to support him."

"I see. How long has he been having these symptoms?"

"Well, as far as I know, most of them started today, although he has been sick ever since last Thursday. We thought it was another one of his colds at first. He had been running a high fever, coughing, and experiencing some mild fatigue and dizziness."

"Does Kondo-sama fall ill often?"

"No, not until last winter. That's when he started catching all these colds. It seems he's been sick more days than he has been well ever since New Year's."

Frowning, Dr. Mizuno placed her notepad back into her pocket. "Thank you, Hino-san. I think that's all I need to know at the moment," she said. "May I see him now?"

"Of course. Follow me."

The doctor followed Rei down the hall to her grandfather's bedroom, standing outside the door as she waited. Entering the room, Rei kneeled down beside the futon and gently shook her grandfather awake.

"Ojii-san, Mizuno-sensei's here," she said in a soft voice. "She wants to examine you."

Groggy, but awake, he nodded his consent, either too weak to argue with her anymore or finally willing to admit he needed to see a doctor. Rei motioned for Dr. Mizuno to come inside, then left to give them some privacy for the examination, deciding to make a pot of tea while she waited.

A few minutes later, Rei sat down at the table in the living area and poured herself a steaming bowl of the freshly brewed liquid. It was chamomile, meant to calm her nerves, but it wasn't helping very much. After a while, she simply sat with her hands wrapped around the half-drunken tea bowl, staring down at the tea's surface as if she fully expected it to reveal all the answers to the questions she had.

 _Ojii-san has to be okay_ , she tried to convince herself. _It's only a really bad cold. That's all. Mizuno-sensei will prescribe him some antibiotics, and he'll be better in no time. I bet in a couple of days, ojii-san will be back to his old self again. I know he will. He's too stubborn to be sick._

So why did it sound so much like wishful thinking? Even Rei couldn't make herself believe that was true. The "feeling" was back, and it was stronger than ever, nearly suffocating her in its intensity. She hadn't felt such fear since the day nearly ten years ago when she found her mother's body on the floor of her parents' bedroom. It scared her, to the point that when Dr. Mizuno finally exited her grandfather's room and walked over to the table, Rei didn't even notice her presence, jumping and spilling some of her tea at the doctor's sudden gentle touch on her shoulder to get her attention.

"sorry, Hino-san," Dr. Mizuno apologized as Rei reached for one of the napkins she had the good fortune of remembering to bring out with her to wipe up the mess. The doctor kneeled down beside her at the table and moved the bowl out of her way. "I didn't mean to startle you. Please allow me to help."

"No, that's okay, Mizuno-sensei," Rei assured her, placing the napkin over the spill to soak up the liquid. Fortunately, it wasn't too big of a mess and easy to clean up. She placed the wet napkin back on the tray she had brought out, reached for the other tea bowl, and poured another drink. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you."

Dr. Mizuno accepted the offered drink, taking a few small sips before she sat it back down on the table, and turned her attention to Rei. Rei couldn't read the emotionless expression on her face, but reminded herself not to jump to conclusions.

"How is he?" she asked.

"Well, my initial examination of Kondo-sama seems to suggest he has caught a case of influenza," Dr. Mizuno answered, much to Rei's relief. She could practically feel the tension of the last few hours flow out of her body at the doctor's diagnosis like a balloon deflating. Never had she been so happy to be wrong in her entire life. The flu was bad, but it was nothing compared to some of the other possibilities she had been imagining as she waited. "Plenty of bed rest and some medicine should do the trick," the doctor continued, "although I would like to continue keeping an eye on him for the next few days. At your grandfather's advanced age, a case of influenza often develops into pneumonia, but I believe as long as he follows my recommendations, he should be out of immediate danger."

"Immediate danger?" Rei repeated. Her fleeting relief reverted back to worry. "What do you mean? Is there something else wrong?"

"Nothing certain as of yet, Hino-san. I do not like giving a positive diagnosis without sufficient evidence."

"But you do suspect?"

"Yes, I do. The symptoms you described to me before the examination may be the signs of something more serious at work. I've taken a sample of Kondo-sama's blood to run some additional tests at the hospital, but until I know more, I cannot know for certain. Right now, my suspicions are pure speculation. Perhaps it is nothing. I have been proven wrong many times before."

"But it could be something, right? Something life-threatening?" Rei pressed, lingering on the implication behind Dr. Mizuno's words. She had never been known for her optimism, usually thinking the worst of everything, and this case was no exception. "What do you think it could be?"

"Hino-san, as I said before, I do not like to speculate on my patients' conditions without most of the facts. For all we know, it could be something as simple as a stomach virus or a severe case of anemia. There are many possibilities, and I cannot make a proper diagnosis based solely on a list of symptoms. It would not be fair to either you or your grandfather for me to give you false hope or to cause you worry prematurely."

"I am aware of that, Mizuno-sensei, and I appreciate your concern, but if there is any possibility that ojii-san may be sicker than we first thought, than I want to know what it is. I know you have a strong suspicion of what is wrong with him, so please tell me what it is so we may both prepare for what may come."

Rei sensed the doctor was still hesitant to play the guessing game, but her insistence had worn the older woman down. Resigned, Dr. Mizuno sighed and produced the notepad she had written in earlier, flipping back to the page where she had taken the notes on his condition. She took another look at the scribblings before answering, her face grave and serious.

"Based on the symptoms you gave me earlier - loss of muscle control, extreme fatigue, sweating, chills, fever, vomiting - as well as the diagnosis of influenza and Kondo-sama's recent medical history, I am inclined to believe he may be suffering from acute leukemia," she finally said. "Remember, though, that is only a premature conclusion, and it is very possible…"

The rest of what Dr. Mizuno said went right in one ear and out the other. Rei was only focusing on one word: leukemia.

"You mean ojii-san has cancer?" Rei asked, interrupting the blue-haired woman.

Dr. Mizuno took no offense at her rudeness, breaking off and giving Rei a sympathetic look. "Hino-san, I said it is possible he may have leukemia," she reminded her. "I really cannot know for certain until the blood tests have been performed, and even then, the results may not be conclusive. More advanced tests may be needed before I can make an accurate diagnosis of Kondo-sama's condition."

"Well, when do you think the blood work will be completed?" Rei asked.

"In a couple of days, most likely, depending on how backed up the lab is. I'll drop the vial off at the hospital's laboratory on my way back home, and by my follow-up visit, I expect to have the results. We'll know then if more tests will be needed, and we can begin discussing treatment options if necessary."

"Is leukemia curable then?"

"It depends on what type of leukemia we are dealing with and exactly what you mean by 'curable.' Patients are rarely ever completely 'cured,' but we can bring the cancer into remission in some cases, adding a few more years to their life."

"So that's good, isn't it?"

The doctor sighed. "Unfortunately, if what I suspect is true, it may be too late for your grandfather. His symptoms seem to suggest acute leukemia, which is the faster growing type of the cancer. If we caught it early enough, there may be a chance to get the cancer into remission, but many patients with acute leukemia die within six months to a year after diagnosis."

"No…"

Her face growing pale, Rei shook her head. She refused to believe it. It couldn't be true. Her grandfather couldn't be dying! It wasn't true!

"Please, know that I am not trying to cause you more worry," Dr. Mizuno said softly, noticing her reaction. "You asked me questions, and I am answering them as truthfully as I can, but you must remember this is all speculation at this point. We don't know anything yet. This is why I was hesitant to tell you this before."

"No, I'm glad you told me," Rei assured her, regaining some of her composure. "Does ojii-san know about this?"

At that, Rei was surprised to see the kind doctor smile. "Yes, he was as stubborn as you are about the subject. I didn't want to tell him, but he was quite insistent on knowing what kind of tests I would be performing. I can see where you get it from, Hino-san."

They both got a good chuckle out of that, breaking the tense atmosphere clouding the room, even if it was only for a few seconds. Rei was still concerned about her grandfather, but she kept on reminding herself that it wouldn't do any good to worry until they knew something more positive.

"Well, I should be going now," Dr. Mizuno said, once their laughter had subsided. She rose from her spot on the floor and began gathering up her things. "I need to get this vial to the laboratory before they close for the night, and then I should get some sleep before my early shift tomorrow at the hospital. I'll return on Monday for a follow-up examination, and hopefully, I will have some more concrete news. Until then, please don't hesitate to call either me or Ami-chan if you notice a change in Kondo-sama's condition."

"Thank you, Mizuno-sensei. I will."

Rei showed Dr. Mizuno to the door and thanked her once again for coming over, assuring the doctor she would pay her for the visit and the test by the end of the following week. As she had suspected, Dr. Mizuno tried to refuse the offer but couldn't convince Rei to change her mind. They said goodbye, and once the doctor had left, Rei went back to Saburo's bedroom, grabbing an extra pillow and a blanket on her way.


	14. Fire And Ice, Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100,000 yen is about 1,000 dollars  
> 500,000 yen is about 5,000 dollars  
> 50,000,000 is about 500,000 dollars

The next morning, Saburo awoke, his blurry eyes falling on the figure of a young woman laying on the floor beside his futon. Her long, raven black hair was wildly spread out across her pillow, and she was bundled tightly in a thin blanket embroidered with cherry blossoms. _Did she stay here all night?_ he wondered, reaching up to take away the washrag that had been placed on his forehead while he slept. _She shouldn't have done that._

He was about to wake her up and tell her to go back to bed in her own room, but Saburo couldn't bear the thought of disturbing her peaceful slumber. Instead, he dropped his arm back down and managed to roll over on his side, silently watching his granddaughter sleep. She looked even more like her mother while she slept, and he smiled at the sight.

It wasn't until he was overcome with a mild coughing fit a few minutes later that the girl's eyes finally fluttered open. After realizing where she was, Rei quickly sat up and poured him a drink from the pitcher she had sitting near her.

"Here, drink this," she said, placing the glass in his hands after he had sat up. "Mizuno-sensei says you need to drink lots of fluids."

He obeyed, thankful for the cool water to soothe his parched throat. "Thank you, Rei-chan," Saburo said once the fit was over, giving her a grateful smile. "Good morning."

"Good morning, ojii-san."

"Were you here all night?" he asked, motioning toward her tossed aside blanket. "You know you didn't have to do that. I don't want you to catch the flu as well."

His granddaughter nodded, her eyes downcast as she reached for blanket and began folding it back up. "I wanted to be here in case you needed me," she answered softly. "It's okay, I won't get sick. I have a stronger-than-average immune system."

Saburo started to argue with her, when he realized Rei was right. He couldn't even remember the last time she had fallen ill. She had had the usual childhood illnesses, like the chicken pox and the measles, of course, but once she hit puberty, it was like her immune system had turned to steel. No wonder she never caught his colds even while she was nursing him back to health.

"Well, still, you didn't need to stay with me all night," he insisted. "I'm fine. It's just a little flu bug."

"Ojii-san, you don't have to lie to me." Rei scooted back over to the futon and reached for one of his wrinkled hands. "I know."

"Know what, little one?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Mizuno-sensei told me what she suspected," she answered. "She thinks you might have leukemia."

"Oh."

Saburo released her hand, and his shoulders slumped with the weight he bore. He hadn't specifically told Dr. Mizuno to remain mum about her suspicions, but he had hoped she wouldn't tell Rei until they knew something more. He didn't want his granddaughter to concern herself with something that could be a false alarm.

"Don't worry about me, child," he said. "I'll be fine."

"But what if it is true?" she demanded to know, sounding almost angry at him. "You don't know that. You have been sick a lot this year, and you're always so tired, even when you don't have a cold. I may not be a medical whiz like Ami-chan, but I know enough to know something is wrong with you."

"The results haven't even come yet. You shouldn't concern yourself with 'what ifs' until we know something more concrete."

"I know, but…" Rei turned her face away, picking at a loose thread in his sheet. She was purposely avoiding his gaze. "But I can't stop thinking about it. What are we going to do if Mizuno-sensei is right and you do have cancer? I'm not even thinking about emotional impact right now. There will be plenty of time to think about that later, if it is true, and quite frankly, I don't want to think about that right now. But what about the practical things?"

"Practical things?"

"Yes, like who will take care of the shrine when you are…indisposed and how we will ever find the money to pay the hospital bills. I don't even know how I will pay Mizuno-sensei for the visit last night. I have some money put away, but it's hardly enough. Ami-chan's mother is one of the best doctors in Tokyo, and I know her services don't come cheap."

Saddened by what he was hearing, Saburo sighed. Rei was only sixteen years old and would still be considered a child by the law for the next four years. She shouldn't be dealing with so much adult responsibility. She should be hanging out with her friends and enjoying her youth, not worrying about money and bills. There would be time for that later.

"Rei-chan, don't concern yourself with the finances. We'll be fine," he assured her, though that wasn't exactly the truth. Saburo also had some money put away, which he had been saving to send Rei to a Shinto school in case her father refused to pay the tuition for her priestess training after graduation, but it wouldn't take long for it to disappear in the face of exorbitant hospital bills. Still, he didn't want her worrying about it.

"But ojii-san…" she protested, looking back at him with wide eyes.

"It'll be okay," he insisted, starting to lay back down on the futon. Saburo was suddenly feeling very tired again. "You should go begin your chores. I don't want the shrine closed another day. We'll start losing customers if this keeps up."

Rei looked like she wanted to argue with him again, but instead, she kept her opinions to herself and helped pull his blanket up around his shoulders. "Fine, I'll open the shrine," she promised. "But I want you to stay in bed today. No going to the kitchen to fix yourself a sandwich or going to the prayer room to meditate. You need complete bed rest. If you need anything, I'll check on you once every hour, and I'll be happy to get anything you want then, okay?"

"Yes, okaa-san…" he teased, bringing just the smallest of grins to his granddaughter's serious face before she left.

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Letting out a huge yawn after changing into her miko attire, Rei stepped outside to begin her chores, deciding to skip her breakfast and meditation time. She had woken up later than usual that morning thanks to spending most of the night watching over her grandfather and working on the household budget, so if she wanted the shrine to open on time, she would have to finish her chores fairly quick. However, when she drowsily reached for the broom she usually kept leaned up by the main entrance to sweep the porch, she was surprised when she grabbed nothing but air.

 _Strange_ , Rei thought to herself, rubbing the final remnants of sleep from her eyes as she looked around for the broom. She could have sworn it had been there yesterday, although it had been a few days since she actually had gotten around to sweeping the porch. Perhaps the last time she used it, she had decided to put it in the tool shed instead.

Shrugging, but not too concerned about the missing broom, Rei then walked over to the pails where the corn for the crows was kept. They should have all been covered, but as she came closer, she noticed one of the lids had been carelessly tossed aside, and the cup used for pouring out the corn was gone. She frowned, knowing while it was possible that she had misplaced the broom, she would have never left the corn uncovered. The crows would have already gone through the entire pail if she had. No, it must have been opened recently, since none of her avian friends were around. It appeared somebody else was feeding them, but who?

"Hey, sleepyhead, it's about time you woke up," a girl's cheerful voice said from behind her, causing Rei to involuntarily jump.

She whirled around, coming face to face with a pretty blonde with a large red bow in her hair dressed in an outfit identical to the one she wore. The girl held the missing broom in her left hand and had a bright smile on her face.

"Minako-chan!" Rei screeched, her hand covering her pounding heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! What in the world are you doing here?"

"Good morning to you, too, Rei-chan," Minako said with a slight roll of her baby blue eyes. "Glad to see I'm always welcome around here."

Rei blushed, realizing how rude she must have sounded. "Of course you are, Minako-chan. Sorry. I was just…surprised, that's all. I wasn't expecting to see you here today."

The blonde shrugged it off and resumed her sweeping. "I'm sorry, I suppose that's my fault. We thought about calling you before coming over, but I wanted this to be a big surprise."

"Well, it certainly… Wait, who is this 'we' you're talking about?" Rei asked, whipping around just in time to see Makoto walking toward them, lugging two large plastic trash bags filled with cherry blossoms, some which were falling back to the ground thanks to a small hole ripped in the bottom of one.

"Us, of course," Makoto answered. The auburn-haired Amazon, also dressed in the traditional robes, set the two bags on the ground and went over to place the lid back on the pail of corn before they forgot. "Ami-chan told us that your grandfather was really sick, so we thought we would all pitch in around the shrine so you could take care of other things. Usagi-chan and Chibi-Usa-chan are feeding the crows right now, Ami-chan decided to get the charm office in order before opening, Minako-chan is taking care of the sweeping, and I'm going to head to the kitchen to fix breakfast now that you're finally awake - that is, if you don't mind. I didn't want to sneak inside earlier and have you think I was a burglar."

"Mako-chan, Minako-chan…" Rei said, shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe all the trouble her friends had gone through, and on a Sunday, no less, the one day of the week when they could have slept in. She couldn't even stay mad at Ami-chan for telling the others about her grandfather's condition, though she certainly wanted to. "I-I don't know what to say. This is just so…"

"You don't have to say anything, Rei-chan," Minako told her. Coming up beside Rei, she wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a hug. "We're your friends, and we all love you. You know if there is anything you need, we are always happy to help. All you have to do is ask."

"Thank you," she whispered, struggling to hold back the tears of gratitude that were threatening to fall. "Thank you so much."

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A little later that Sunday morning, Keitaro stifled a yawn as he opened his eyes, surprised to see that instead of the digital alarm clock on the nightstand that usually greeted him when he woke up in the morning, he was staring up at the ceiling of a room that was not his, his neck sore and his arms folded across his chest to combat the slight chill of the air-conditioner in lieu of a blanket. His glasses still sat on his face, and he wore the same suit he had worn yesterday.

"Where am I?" he mumbled, struggling to sit up from what he now recognized was a large leather couch. The motion gave him a slight feeling of dizziness, but Keitaro shook it off and blinked a couple of times until the blurriness of the room came into focus.

He was in his office - not his study at the manor, but his office in Tokyo. Well, technically, it was Kaidou's office now, he reminded himself as he noticed how empty the room looked, but he would still have full access to it until the inauguration. But the question was, why was he there?

Keitaro tried to remember what had happened the night before, but his mind was still a little fuzzy. Standing, he walked over to the table at the corner of the room and poured himself a cup of coffee. It was leftover from the day before, but Keitaro barely noticed as he took a swig of the stale liquid, hoping the caffeine would help wake him up. He then started on a fresh batch and walked over to the window behind his desk to wait, pulling back the heavy curtains to reveal the usual morning hustle and bustle of Japan's largest city. Even on a Sunday, people were busy going about their lives.

He should have been at church by now, Keitaro suddenly realized when he took a look down at his watch to check the time. He had woken much later than usual, and Mass would have already started about twenty minutes ago at the little church he attended by the manor. There was no point in trying to make it. He decided he would try to make the evening service instead, not in the mood at the moment to go down to the church a few blocks down from the office. Though he didn't know why, Keitaro got the feeling he was angry at God for something.

It wasn't until a few moments later, when he went to pour himself a second cup of coffee from the fresh brew and resumed his position of staring blankly out the window, that he realized why.

Negishi Shinji had died.

Keitaro still didn't remember much about what had happened the night before. He remembered Negishi's first wife coming out of his bedroom to tell them the news about an hour or so after he had said his final goodbye, and he remembered wanting to be alone after giving the family his condolences, but everything that happened after leaving Negishi's house was pretty hazy. There were some vague memories of a dark place filled with smoke, however, and Keitaro swore when he noticed he positively reeked of perfume and alcohol.

"Please tell me I did not go to a bar last night," he groaned, lightly banging his forehead against the glass of the window. "What was I thinking? What did I do?"

The good thing was, it seemed he had managed to sleep most of his drunkenness off. His memories of what happened were still dim, and he had a small headache, but it was a mild hangover compared to some he had experienced before in the past. Maybe he hadn't drunk as much as he feared…

Then again, Keitaro reasoned, he must have been pretty smashed if he hadn't even made it home last night. At least he had the good sense not to drive back to the manor in his condition, though. Thank goodness for minor miracles. That was probably how he ended up at the office - to spare himself the embarrassment of calling Ogata to pick him up at some dingy drinking hole. He knew there was a reason why he always preferred to drink in private.

"I am such an idiot!" Keitaro suddenly growled, slamming his coffee mug down on the cleared-off desk. "Out of all the stupid things I could have done, why did I have to go to a bar?"

Keitaro plopped down in the chair behind the desk and hid his face in his hands. He felt so ashamed of himself. Drowning his sorrows in alcohol once again was not the answer. After what happened after Takara's death, he promised himself he wouldn't allow himself to go down that road anymore. Keitaro thought he was stronger than that, but apparently he was as weak as his father had been.

His father… Keitaro sneered at the man's memory. Even Negishi Shinji had been more of a father-figure to him than Hino Takeo ever was. He regretted that he hadn't realized how much he cared about the old man until it was almost too late. Keitaro had always thought of Negishi as his idol, but in reality, he had been much more than that. Negishi had been the one who had taken him under his wing and guided him, filling the role left behind when his uncle died. Without him, he never would have fulfilled his political dreams and aspirations.

Losing Negishi was like losing his beloved uncle all over again. In a way, the former governor had been the final remaining link between him and Uncle Wataru. The two had been such close friends, and Negishi had often loved to share stories of their earlier years. Those stories had helped keep his uncle's memory alive, but now...

Keitaro realized then that he truly was alone. Sure, he still had Minoru, but things had gotten so strained between them over the years, he might as well count their relationship as a loss. They were more acquaintances than best friends now. There was also Kaidou, but they weren't really friends as much as mentor and student. And, of course, he couldn't forget his daughter, but he had to admit that she was only a daughter in blood and name. When it came to feelings, thoughts, ideas, and shared experiences, Rei might as well have been a stranger to him.

No, he was alone, and it left him feeling cold as ice inside.

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As the last rays of sun disappeared under the horizon, Minako finished putting the last of the fallen cherry blossoms into her trash bag and swiped her arm across her lightly perspiring forehead. Finally, she was done! She thought she would never finish with the raking she had naively volunteered to do after the rest of the girls had left for the day to prepare for school the next day. Being a miko was a lot harder than it looked. No wonder Rei was so cranky at times.

"Well, that's the last of them," she declared, dragging the bag over to where Makoto had started the pile earlier. "At least for now. I honestly don't know how you do it, Rei-chan. Keeping this courtyard clean in the springtime is a full-time job in and of itself."

Rei, who had just come back outside after checking on her grandfather and was building a small fire nearby, gave Minako a tiny smile, the first true smile Minako had seen all day. "I guess it takes practice," the real miko replied. "But thank you for staying behind to finish, Minako-chan. I really appreciate it. I'm afraid I've been getting behind on my chores these last few days."

"No problem! After all, what are best friends for? Like I said before, we'll always be there if you need us. You can always count on us."

The miko sighed, tossing the first bag of cherry blossoms into the cackling fire. "I feel guilty, though," Rei admitted. "You all gave up your Sunday to help me out at the shrine when there are plenty of other things you could have been doing. I'm sure becoming an honorary miko for the day was not your first choice of how to spend your day off."

"Actually, it was," Minako said with a giggle as she sat down on a log beside Rei in front of the fire. The dark-haired girl raised her eyebrow, looking doubtful. "Well, it was either working here at Hikawa or finishing my homework," she explained. "Okaa-san grounded me when she found out I failed that math test I took last week, but when Ami-chan called me this morning to tell me about Kondo-sama and we decided we wanted to help, my mother was so touched by the gesture, she said I could go."

"Ah, so working here was the lesser of two evils for you, then."

Minako shrugged her shoulders and threw another bag onto the fire. "I guess you could say that, but I really did want to help," she said, grinning. "Besides, this was fun, even if it was a lot of work. Some of the guys who visited Hikawa today were really cute. I made sure to give them all special love charms, blessed by the Goddess of Love herself, guaranteed to find them true love - with me!"

As usual, her boy-crazy antics provoked Rei to roll her eyes in exasperation. "Minako-chan, when will you learn that there is more to life than chasing after cute boys?"

"I already have," Minako answered softly, reaching beside her for Rei's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. No other words were needed to convey what she meant. Yes, she may like to chase after boys and idols every once in a while (what normal teenage girl didn't?), but the most important things in her life were her duties as a senshi and her friends, especially Rei. Nothing else would matter if she didn't have them.

Rei smiled. "I know. I was just teasing you. You're not the boy-crazed, blonde ditz everyone thinks you are. Although, sometimes I wonder if you aren't just a little bit psycho…"

"Rei-chan!"

What could have been a touching moment was ruined when Minako reached into a nearby trash bag and grabbed a handful of cherry blossoms, giving her best friend a menacing look. Rei started shaking her head in protest, knowing exactly what Minako was going to do, but it was too late. The miko's long black hair was soon coated with the delicate pink blossoms, and Rei began hopping around, attempting to shake them off.

"I can't believe you did that! Look at the mess you made." Rei squealed, trying unsuccessfully to brush the petals out of her hair.

"That's what you get for calling me psycho, Little Miss Perfect."

"Oh, really?" Rei bent down and gathered her own handful of blossoms, arching an eyebrow in Minako's direction. "Would 'Little Miss Perfect' do this?"

Minako held her hands up in front of her, slowly backing away from the armed woman. "Oh, no, Rei-chan, you wouldn't dare!" she said. "You wouldn't dare throw those petals at me, not after all the help I gave you today."

"You want to bet?"

"No…"

Shrieks of laughter filled the normally serene shrine as Minako sprinted off, Rei following only a few feet behind her. For a moment, they were like children again, smiling and carefree. Even Phobos and Deimos joined in the fun, helping their mistress in her mission to get even. Minako didn't have a chance against all three.

"Okay, okay, I surrender! I surrender!" Minako finally said after a few minutes of running around, knowing there was no outrunning Rei and her crows. She closed her eyes and dramatically threw her arms out to her sides, prepared to face her punishment. "You got me. Do as you must."

Smiling wickedly, Rei came up to Minako and tossed the handful of cherry blossoms right on the top of her head. The delicate petals spilled down her hair like lava from a volcano, many catching on the strands of gold and the rest pooling on the ground around her feet. "Hey, pink looks good on you, Minako-chan," Rei commented with a rare giggle as Minako opened her eyes.

"You think?"

"Sure. Maybe you should ask Chibi-Usa-chan what dye she uses and color your hair," she joked.

Minako pretended to ponder the suggestion, tapping her chin in mock concentration. "Hmm, I have been thinking it's time for a change…"

Purple eyes widened in horror. "You can't be serious!"

"Why not?" Minako asked, fluffing her sakura-adorned hair. "I've always liked the color pink, and it would certainly get rid of the blonde ditz stereotype people have of me. I think I just might do it."

Rei's normally elegant face contorted into a combination of pure shock and horror. "Minako-chan, you are not dyeing your beautiful hair pink!"

Unable to keep up the façade any longer, Minako burst into laughter. "Okay, I'm not, but it was totally worth it to see that look on your face, Rei-chan," she said, pointing to said face. "It's priceless! Man, do I wish I brought my camera today!

Rei scowled. "Oh, grow up," she huffed good-naturedly, going back to the untended fire to finish burning up the rest of the petals.

A few seconds later, Minako joined her, still giggling a little at the image burned in her mind, and with her help, soon all the bags were gone. They then returned to their seats on the log, enjoying the heat of the vibrant flames in the quickly cooling nighttime.

"You know what would be really good right now?" Minako asked after a while, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over the two. "S'mores. I have such a huge craving right now. Hey, do you happen to have some marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers around?"

Rei shook her head, her eyes never leaving the blazing inferno in front of them. "I'm afraid not, Minako-chan," she said softly. "Sorry."

"Oh, that's okay."

Noticing Rei's usual melancholy had returned, all thoughts of the sinfully delicious campfire treat disappeared, replaced by concern. Minako thought she had finally managed to cheer her friend up a little after their impromptu game of chase, but the darkness of Rei's eyes told her otherwise. It was going to take more than just a game of chase and a few silly words to lift her sadness.

"He's going to be okay, Rei-chan," Minako assured her. "Don't worry so much. After all, it's just a nasty little flu bug, right? As long as it doesn't turn into pneumonia, he should be fine. That's what Ami-chan said, at least. And you're taking such good care of him, he'll be better in no time."

"I hope your right, Minako-chan," the miko said, her fingers digging at the fabric of her robes. "I really hope you're right…"

Minako didn't fail to catch the slight tremble in her unflappable friend's voice, causing her to frown. Was there something Rei wasn't telling her? Ami had told her and the others that Rei's granfather had come down with a bad case of influenza, but the future doctor said he should be fine in a few days. Minako thought Rei would be relieved at the news. She had been so worried about her "feelings" the other day, it seemed like Rei would have been happy to have been proved wrong. Instead, she was acting even worse than before when she didn't know what was wrong with her grandfather.

"What is it?" she asked, linking her arm with Rei's. "What's wrong?"

Rei shook her head. "It's nothing, really."

"It doesn't seem like nothing. Come on, I know something is bother you, so there's no point in trying to hide it from me. Tell me."

"I don't feel like talking about it right now," Rei said, tossing a nearby stick into the dying fire. Her tone was sharper than usual, startling Minako.

"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything. It's not healthy to keep your feelings all bottled up inside. I think it causes stomach ulcers, or something like -"

"Minako-chan, I said I don't want to talk about it," Rei snapped, her face immediately softening as Minako jumped and pulled away in surprise. "Sorry I didn't mean to yell at you."

Minako gave her a small smile. "No, it's okay. I know I shouldn't be prying into your private life, but I'm worried about you."

"Worried about me? I'm fine."

"Then why such the glum face? It's hardly attractive, you know."

That got a little chuckle out of Rei, brief as it might have been. "It's nothing. I guess I'm just worried about this business with the Dead Moon Circus."

Minako rolled her eyes. "You and I both know that is not it, Rei-chan. Yeah, we're all concerned about the new enemies and Mamoru-san's strange illness, but it isn't like you to be so depressed about a threat. I have a feeling this runs closer to home."

Completely ignoring her comments, Rei turned away and began drawing some fancy kanji in the soil with another stick. Minako took Rei's refusal to talk to mean that she had hit upon a nerve. Rei had a tendency to clam up whenever she didn't want to talk about something, but Minako wasn't going to let her get off so easily this time. Something major was bothering Rei, and she wasn't leaving until she knew what it was.

"Is there something else wrong with Kondo-sama?" Minako asked softly after a few seconds of frosty silence had passed. "Is that why you're so upset?"

Rei shook her head, but still didn't turn back around. "Minako-chan, leave me alone. It's none of your business."

"But it is my business when one of my best friends won't let me help them through a difficult time."

"There's nothing you can do, so why even bother?"

"Because I care about you, and even if I can't make the problem go away, it helps to talk about it."

"I said I don't want to talk."

"I know you did, but…" Minako sighed and stood up from her seat on the log to kneel on the ground in front of Rei. "But I really wish you would," she continued, taking the other girl's hands in both her own. "Please, Rei-chan, tell me what's wrong."

At first, Rei refused to look at her, her gaze staring down at their clenched hands behind a wall of black hair. Minako couldn't even make out the expression on her face. But eventually, the miko raised her head and the curtain fell away, revealing what appeared to be tears in her sad, purple eyes.

"Rei-chan!" Minako exclaimed, throwing her arms around her best friend and pulling her close. She was glad when Rei didn't try to pull away, even though she didn't return the embrace. "What is it? Why are you crying? Please tell me."

"Mizuno-sensei suspects ojii-san has cancer," Rei finally admitted in a hoarse voice. "Leukemia, to be exact."

"What?" Surprised and saddened by the news, Minako gently pulled away so she could better see Rei's face. "Is she sure? Ami-chan didn't say anything about the possibility of cancer."

"Her mother probably didn't tell her. Mizuno-sensei didn't really want to share her suspicions with me either, but I forced her to tell me. She's supposed to return tomorrow for a check-up and to tell us the results of the tests."

"Oh, Rei-chan… Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want to say anything until we were positive of the diagnosis," Rei said. "Besides, everybody should be focusing on Mamoru-san and the new threat, not me and my insignificant problems. We're Sailor Senshi, and our duty is with the prince and princess."

"This isn't an insignificant problem, Rei-chan," Minako said, holding her by both arms so she couldn't turn away again. "Yes, we are senshi, but that doesn't mean everything else in our lives is unimportant. If the others knew about this, I'm sure they would want to help you in any way they could."

"I don't want their help. Ojii-san and I can handle this by ourselves, if it comes down to that. They needn't concern themselves."

"But what about Hikawa?" Minako asked, looking around at the sacred shrine. She and the other girls had done a great job cleaning the place up, but when they had first arrived that morning, it had been obvious that Rei had fallen behind on her chores. There was no way she could finish all her chores, go to school, and fight the occasional battle all at the same time, on top of taking care of her grandfather. Even a super heroine had her limits. "You can't run this place all by yourself. You're still in school. And then, of course, there's the question of money. I know you've always been a penny-pincher when it comes to finances, but if Kondo-sama really is ill, his medical bills are going to be astronomical."

"I'll figure something out," Rei insisted. "I've already decided I'm going to pawn some of my jewelry after school tomorrow to pay Mizuno-sensei for her visits and the blood test, and combined with the money I have saved, I think it will be enough for now."

"What about later, though?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Rei admitted, her slender shoulders slumping as she loudly exhaled. "Ojii-san told me not to worry about it, but I know he doesn't have enough money saved to cover the possible expenses. I was thinking maybe I would quit school and get a job somewhere."

"Quit school? Rei-chan, you can't do that."

Rei forced out a dry chuckle. "Somehow, I thought you would be the last one who would try to talk me out of dropping out. Ami-chan, sure, but not you."

"Hey, I might not make the best grades in the world, but even I know the advantages of having a high school diploma."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?" she asked with a defeated sigh. "I can't keep pawning my valuables forever. I'm not exactly a princess with a vault full of jewels."

Minako thought about it, but, unfortunately, her mind was coming up with mostly blanks. As much as she hated to admit it, Rei was probably right about quitting school and finding a job. It seemed like the only logical choice at the moment. "But there has to be some other way," Minako muttered to herself, standing back up and pacing in front of the other girl as she bit on her thumbnail in contemplation. "There has to be."

"Minako-chan, this isn't your problem to wor-"

"What about your father?" she interrupted, finally hitting on something. "From what you've told me, he has money to spare, and you did say before that you were fairly certain he would give it to you if you asked."

"Otou-sama and I barely speak to each other, though," Rei said. "The last thing I want to do is ask him, of all people, to loan us money. No, that would be the absolute last resort."

While Minako understood the bitterness Rei felt toward Hino Keitaro, he seemed to be the only reasonable alternative. "Rei-chan, I'm afraid you might have to swallow your pride this time. There's really no better choice. You cannot drop out of the Academy, and even if you got a job, you wouldn't earn nearly enough to pay the medical bills and the paychecks for extra help around Hikawa, as well as to take care your usual expenses."

Rei started to argue, but instead sighed and made a face, the reality of the situation apparently sinking in. "I hate it when your right," she muttered, erasing her work in the soil with her sandal. "I just wish there was some other way to go about this."

"I know," Minako said sympathetically, sitting back down beside Rei and wrapping a comforting arm around the other girl's shoulders. "But asking Hino-sama for the money, if it is needed, is the best solution. And who knows? You might not even have to worry about it. Doctor's suspicions have been proved wrong before. Kondo-sama might not even have leukemia. You just need to keep positive."

"I suppose you're right," Rei grudgingly admitted, reaching for Minako's hand. "Thanks, Minako-chan. I do feel a little better now that I've talked about this and have some kind of plan, even if it is not exactly what I wanted."

Minako grinned. "See, I said you would," she said before standing back up. It was getting late, judging by the dusky blueness of the sky and the appearance of a few twinkling stars, so she figured she might as well get home before she added another day to her punishment. "Well, I think it's about time I left. There's some homework I need to do for tomorrow, but if you need anything - anything at all - don't hesitate to call, okay? I'm always here for you."

"I will. Thanks again for all the help."

"It was nothing. Bye, Rei-chan."

"Good bye."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, school was unbearable. The day dragged by unnecessarily slow, and Rei simply went through the motions of pretending to pay attention in her classes, not particularly caring about how to perform the Pythagorean's theorem or who won World War I. By the time the final bell rang to dismiss school, she was sure that most of her peers and teachers thought she was a complete space cadet.

Archery practice wasn't much better. Rei performed worse than she had the previous Friday, unable to keep her mind focused on anything but Dr. Mizuno's upcoming visit and the impending test results. Father Arakawa, normally an easy-going guy as far as priests went, nearly threw a fit when one of her arrows didn't even reach the target, instead embedding itself in the ground.

"Hino, you have got to focus here," he yelled, emphasizing each word with his booming voice. "We have competition coming up soon, and you are performing like a beginner at her first practice, not the expert we know you are."

"I'm sorry, Arakawa-sensei," Rei apologized, bowing toward her teacher. "I'll try better next time."

The next time did go better, with Rei managing to hit a bull's-eye after blocking out her worries long enough to concentrate, but thankfully, practice ended shortly after she finished her shot. Walking right passed a concerned Kotono, who had apparently been watching practice again, Rei went to the locker room to change, then started on her way to the pawn shop in the shopping district.

It didn't take her long to find the place. It was located right next door to a bookstore Ami had taken her to a few times, though fairly nondescript. Only a faded sign in the window, reading _Hideki's Pawn Shop_ , told her that it was the place she was seeking. Stopping when she saw the sign. Rei patted the small purse she had brought with her and opened the door.

As she entered the shop, a bell above the doorway tinkled prettily to announce her presence, and an old man, assumedly the owner, looked up from the silverware he had been polishing behind his counter.

"Ah, hello, miss," he said, welcoming Rei inside with a kind smile. "What can I do today for a pretty girl like you?"

Surprised, Rei blinked and checked the sign in the window once again to make sure she had the right address. This wasn't what she imagined at all. She had been expecting some shady, money-grubbing pawnbroker, not a rosy-cheeked grandfather-figure, to be running the shop, but sure enough, she had come to the right place.

"Are you Hideki-san?" Rei asked tentatively, still a little shocked.

The old man grinned. "I sure am. I've owned this shop for well over forty years. This place is my baby."

Feeling nothing threatening about him, Rei relaxed and finally returned his smile. "You have a lovely shop, sir. My grandfather told me about this place. He's been coming here for years."

"Oh, really? Well, it's always great to meet the next generation of customers. Who is your grandfather, if I may ask? I know most of my customers pretty well."

Rei hesitated a moment, but didn't see the harm in revealing the information. "Kondo Saburo."

"The Shinto priest? Yes, I know him. A friendly one, he is, although not exactly my typical clientele. You must be Rei-san, then. The governor's daughter?"

"Yes," she answered, her eyes widening when she discovered he already knew her name. While people familiar with politics often recognized her, it was rare to be noticed outside of fancy restaurants.

"Your grandfather speaks very highly of you, Rei-san," Hideki explained, causing Rei to faintly blush. "Is there anything I can do to be of service?"

"Actually, there is. I came here to pawn some of my jewelry," Rei said, suddenly remembering why she had come in the first place.

Stepping up to the counter, she opened her purse and spilled its contents across the surface. Admittedly, there wasn't much. Mostly it was her mother's jade jewelry, including the lavender hoops she had worn the day she died, but she had also brought a couple of rings set with semi-precious gemstones and a strand of small freshwater pearls her godfather had given her for her sixteenth birthday. Rei also pulled out a pair of ruby, pearl, and diamond combs from her pocket and hesitantly set it with the rest.

"How much can I get for all of this?" she asked.

Hideki, losing some of his friendly countenance as they got down to business, slid a pair of glasses on his face. He began examining each piece with care, occasionally mumbling something to himself that Rei couldn't comprehend. "I can offer you 500,000 yen," he answered once he had finished the appraisal.

Rei's spirit fell at the offered price. She knew her jewelry wasn't much, but she had expected them be worth a little more than what Hideki offered. "Five hundred thousand yen? Is that all?"

"Gomen nasai, Rei-san. I'm afraid that is the best offer I can give you. The rings are virtually worthless, and while these appear to be Mikimoto pearls, they are not large enough to be of any true value. The combs, also, are not worth much. The rubies are simulated and the diamonds are of low quality. I will say the jade pieces are lovely, though, and that is reflected in my price."

"Oh, I understand," she said softly. The price wasn't as much as she had expected, but if Hideki was right - and she knew instinctively that he was an honest man - she probably would not get a better offer anywhere else. She had not choice but to accept. "I'll take it then."

Nodding, Hideki went to his cash register and pulled out the money. "Here you go, miss," he said, placing the yen in her hand. "I'm sorry I could not offer more."

Rei closed her hand over the money and put it inside her now empty purse. It would be enough to pay for Dr. Mizuno's visits and the blood test, but there wouldn't be much left if additional tests were needed. "No, that's okay. Any little bit helps. Ojii-san is sick, and we need the money."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Rei-san," Hideki said, sounding honestly sympathetic. "I'll tell you what. If you are willing to part with that pendant as well, I could give you an extra 100,000 yen for it," he said, indicating her mother's necklace. "It's a very beautiful piece."

"My pendant?"

Rei's hand reached up for the heart-shaped pendant hung from the delicate gold chain around her neck, and she bit down on her lip as she considered the offer. She never intended on pawning her mother's necklace, hoping it would not be necessary, but Rei had to admit 100,000 yen was a good chunk of money. She would be a fool to turn that kind of money down.

Yet, the thought of selling the necklace pained her heart. It was one of the few things she had left to remember her mother by, and she feared she would forget her completely without it. Try as they might, nobody could put a price on memories.

Rei knew what choice she had to make.

"I can't," she answered. "It's a very kind offer, but this necklace means too much to me. I cannot sell it."

Hideki smiled. "Somehow, I figured that, but you can't blame me for trying. Tell Kondo-sama I hope he gets well soon, and please come again. I'll keep the items in storage for a month if you can come up with the money to buy them back."

"Thank you, Hideki-san. I will. Bye."

"Goodbye."

Rei bowed politely, then exited the small shop, her steps quickening as she headed toward a nearby bus stop where a bus heading to Sendaizakaue had just stopped to load passengers. Ami said her mother would be stopping by after her shift ended at seven, so she wanted to get home as soon as possible so she could check on Saburo and prepare a quick dinner. Rei hopped on board, the last person in line, and took a seat in the back, her feelings in turmoil as she watched the world go by out her window.

A short time later, although it had felt like an eternity to Rei, she was home. Entering the shrine, she immediately went to the bedroom to check on her grandfather, finding him asleep, but comfortable. He was about over his flu, so he was no longer sweating, and some of the color had even returned to cheeks. Rei was glad to see he was recovering and pulled his blanket up around his shoulders before heading to the kitchen to prepare supper.

When she finished, Rei didn't bother waking him up, not wanting to disturb him when he looked so peaceful. He hadn't slept well over the last few days, so he still needed his rest. Instead, she took the instant ramen she had made to the main room and kneeled down at the table, eating her dinner while she waited for Dr. Mizuno to arrive.

As it turned out, she didn't have to wait very long. There was a knock on the door about ten minutes after seven, the doctor arriving right on schedule. Rei pushed her half-eaten ramen aside and went to show their guest inside.

"Hello, Mizuno-sensei," she greeted the doctor, who wore a serious expression on her face as she stepped inside. "Do you have the results of the blood work?"

The blue-haired woman nodded and held up a large manila folder. "They're right here, but if you don't mind, I would prefer to examine Kondo-sama first before I talk to you both about what the test showed. May I see him?"

"Oh," Rei exhaled, disappointed but willing to wait. "Of course. Right this way."

Rei led Dr. Mizuno to the bedroom, and after she had woken her grandfather from his sleep, she went to the kitchen to brew some tea, just as she had done during the previous visit. This time, however, she refused to wait outside and entered the bedroom with a tray set for three once the tea was done. Dr. Mizuno was just completing the check-up when she arrived.

"How is he, Mizuno-sensei?" Rei asked as she kneeled down beside the futon and began pouring the tea.

"The good news is, I think the worst of the flu bug is over," Dr. Mizuno answered, putting away her stethoscope. "He may still seem tired and weak for the next couple of days, but I think I can safely say Kondo-sama is out of immediate danger. We were lucky his illness didn't develop into pneumonia."

"And the bad news?" her grandfather prodded, his voice weak and scratchy still.

The doctor's expression didn't change as she reached for the manila envelope and pulled out a couple of sheets of paper. "These are the results of the blood test I had the lab perform," she announced needlessly. "I've read over the report, and the test indicated exactly what I expected. There is an abnormally high amount of white blood cells in his blood."

"What does that mean?" Rei asked, reaching for her grandfather's wrinkled hand. "Does ojii-san have cancer?"

Her face softening slightly, Dr. Mizuno nodded. "I'm sorry, Hino-san. There is no doubt, now. My diagnosis is leukemia."

While Rei had expected the news, hearing it officially from the doctor's mouth made it frightening real. Her already porcelain complexion paled, and she tightened her grip on her grandfather's hand as if by doing so, she could somehow give him some of her strength. "Oh, ojii-san…" she whispered.

Strangely enough, though, her grandfather hardly reacted to the diagnosis, simply nodding his acceptance. Rei assumed he had plenty of time to prepare himself while he was sick in bed. "Thank you, Mizuno-sensei," he said. "Now that the diagnosis has been made, what's next?"

Dr. Mizuno slid the report back into the envelope before speaking. "First, I would like to have you admitted to the hospital and perform some more extensive tests," she began. "While the blood work indicates leukemia, it does not show me what type with which we are dealing. Once that has been decided, then we can discuss treatment options. Most likely, we will try chemotherapy at first to get the cancer into remission, and if that doesn't work, we may do a bone marrow transplant. Hino-san, I would like you to have yourself tested as a possible donor, just in case. Research has shown a bone marrow transplant has a higher success rate of being accepted by the body when it comes from a blood relative."

Rei didn't have to think twice before agreeing. "Of course."

"Good. I can schedule you an appointment whenever Kondo-sama is admitted into the hospital."

"And when would that be?"

"My advice is as soon as possible. If your grandfather has acute leukemia, as I first suspected, then we need to begin treatment as soon as possible. I can have him admitted tomorrow, if you agree."

"Ojii-san?" Rei asked, looking over at the elderly man. She already knew what she would decide, but it was ultimately his decision. "Is that okay with you?"

He sighed, resting his weary head back on his pillow. "What about Hikawa, though?" he asked. "Who will take care of the shrine in my absence? I was hoping we could resume a regular schedule once I got over my sickness. We've already lost so much business…"

"I will," Rei promised. "I'll skip school for the next few days and keep the shrine open while you're in the hospital."

"Are you sure, Rei-chan? Taking care of the shrine full-time is a huge responsibility, and I don't want you to fall behind in school."

"I won't. I can borrow Sarashina-san's notes, and I'm sure Ami-chan will be happy to explain anything I don't understand, so I won't fall behind in my classes. It'll only be for a few days. Besides, I'd have to miss school tomorrow anyway to get you admitted into the hospital and to get tested. A couple of more days won't hurt me."

"You have this all figured out, don't you, little one?" he weakly joked, giving her a small smile before sighing again. "Okay, I guess if you think you can handle running the shrine by yourself for a few days, as well as keep up with your school work, I'll go to the hospital. I really don't have much of a choice in the matter, anyway, do I?"

"You made the right decision, Kondo-sama," Dr. Mizuno assured him, standing from her kneeling position. "Hino-san, why don't we let your grandfather get some more rest, and we can discuss tomorrow? There are some things I want to go over with you before I leave."

Nodding, Rei started gathering the half-empty tea bowls back on the tray and followed Dr. Mizuno back to the main room after saying goodnight to her grandfather. They kneeled down at the low table to talk.

"So, what did you want to discuss with me?" Rei asked, pouring them some more tea.

"Well, mostly I wanted to know if you were Kondo-sama's only living blood relative. Ami-chan told me your mother, his daughter, died when you were younger, but does Kondo-sama have any more children or grandchildren? Or perhaps some of his siblings are still alive? Nieces, nephews? I would like to get them tested as well, if possible."

Rei shook her head. "No, okaa-sama was an only child, and his two brothers both died in the war before taking a wife. I'm all he has left."

"I see. That does make things more difficult if your bone marrow is discovered to be incompatible."

"A donor doesn't necessarily have to be a blood relative, does it?" she asked.

"No, not technically, but as I said before, there's less of a chance of the body rejecting the bone marrow if it comes from a close relation."

"But a bone marrow transplant isn't our only option, right?"

"That is correct. I'm not as well versed in the latest leukemia treatments, since oncology is not my specialty, but chemotherapy is by far the most popular choice. Once we know what we are looking at, I'm sure Kondo-sama's doctors will suggest trying chemotherapy first. A bone marrow transplant is often seen a last resort because of the risks involved."

"Doctors?" Rei echoed. "You mean, you won't be the one treating him?"

"No, I am not a specialist in that area, but I do have several friends who are. I can provide you with recommendations if you'd like. They're some of the best oncologists and hematologists in the area."

Looking down at her tea, Rei sighed. Dealing with the hospital bills and the tests was going to be hard enough, but how in the world were they going to afford to pay for a team of specialists? It was looking more and more as if she had no choice but to go to her father and ask for the money.

"Is something wrong, Hino-san?" Dr. Mizuno asked, noticing her silence.

"No, it's nothing, Mizuno-sensei," she lied, shaking her head. Rei didn't care to advertise their constant money woes, but the intelligent doctor deduced her worries right away.

"You're worried about the costs, aren't you?"

"Yes," Rei admitted. "I managed to find the money to pay you for your visits and the blood test, but we don't have insurance."

"I suspected as much." The older woman sat down her tea bowl. "I won't lie to you. Treating cancer does not come cheap, especially when you don't have insurance. You can set up a payment plan with the hospital, but I'm afraid it will still be a financial burden."

"Then I guess I'll have to go to him after all…" she muttered to herself.

A confused look crossed Dr. Mizuno's face. "Him?"

"Nobody," Rei quickly answered, standing back up. "Let me walk you to the door. I'm sure you are probably anxious to go home to Ami-chan…"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ojii-san, are you ready to leave for the hospital yet?" a girlish voice said, knocking on the door to Saburo's bedroom the next morning. "The bus will be here in fifteen minutes. We don't want to be late."

Sighing, Saburo zipped up the rest of the small suitcase he was taking with him to the hospital and rolled his eyes. That must have been the fifth time in the last half-hour she had checked in on him. As much as he hated to admit it, it was starting to border on the edge of annoying, no matter how good her intentions were. He felt like a kid being scolded by his mother because he was running late for school, which was ridiculous considering he hadn't gone to school in well over forty years.

"Almost, Rei-chan," he called out. "I'll be out in a couple of minutes."

"Are you sure you don't need any help in there?"

"I'm fine. Did you finish your morning chores yet?"

"Yeah. I got up extra early to complete them before we left."

"Well, why don't you fix yourself a bowl of cereal while you wait for me to finish in here?"

"I already ate."

"Then eat again. You know how bad hospital food supposedly is. I doubt you'll want to eat lunch there."

"Is that your none-too-subtle hint to tell me to leave you alone?" Rei asked, the slightest bit of a teasing tone in her voice. It was a welcome change from the seriousness that had pervaded the young girl that entire morning and made Saburo feel a little better about what was about to happen. It was good to know some things hadn't changed.

"Well, now that you mention it…"

"Fine, fine, I'll go fix a bowl of cereal if it'll make you happy," she said. "But remember we need to be at the bus stop in…"

"…in thirteen minutes. I know," Saburo said, completing Rei's sentence as he glanced over at the alarm clock to check the time. "I'll be done in five minutes, tops."

"Okay, I'll see you in five."

Finally, he heard the sound of her slippered feet shuffling toward the kitchen, and he smiled sadly as he was reminded that it would be the last time he heard that sound until at least Friday, if not longer.

Saburo hoped Rei would be okay on her own for a few days. That was probably his biggest worry. This would mark the first time he had left his granddaughter alone for any significant amount of time, so he was understandably concerned. He'd been hoping that maybe he could convince Uchizawa Minoru to stay with her at the shrine while he was gone, but the playboy businessman was off in Paris and wouldn't be back for another week.

Rei would be fine, though, he knew. He was just being overprotective. She was a responsible girl and more than capable of taking care of herself and the shrine for a few days. It was probably time he let her learn to fend for herself anyway. If anything should happen to him…

Saburo wasn't fooling himself. He didn't like to dwell on it much, but he knew there was a good chance he might not survive much longer. Cancer was a tough enemy to beat, and he wasn't sure if he had the strength left to fight it. He would fight, for Rei's sake, but he knew the battle would not be easy for either one of them.

"Ojii-san, it is time to go," Rei said, sliding open the door. "Are you ready yet?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," Saburo replied, grabbing his suitcase, which Rei immediately took from him.

"I'll carry that. You just worry about getting on the bus. Now, come, the bus will be arriving at any minute."

The two of them left the shrine and walked to the nearby bus stop, where a bus pulled up a couple minutes behind schedule. Saburo resisted the urge to tease Rei about how she had worried about them being late when she should have been worrying about the bus, thinking she probably wouldn't find that very amusing, and got on board. A short time later, they were checking into the hospital, and a nurse rolled him to his room in a wheelchair as Rei finished filling out the necessary paperwork at the nurse's station.

When they got there, Saburo discovered he would be sharing his room with another leukemia patient. His roommate wasn't there when he arrived, but the nurse, a cutely perky redhead, said the other man would be back after he finished his chemo treatment. She helped Saburo get settled into his bed, then left to check on some of the other patients, leaving him to watch some television until Rei found him about fifteen minutes later.

"Iron Chef?" his granddaughter asked, an eyebrow raised as she entered the room and saw what was on the TV hooked up in the corner of the room. "Don't tell me you're actually watching that, ojii-san."

Saburo chuckled. Rei's distaste for television was legendary. She always said it was nothing more but mindless entertainment intended to keep people from their work. "Why not? I'm actually kind of enjoying it. Maybe when I get out of here, we should buy a TV for Hikawa."

"I don't think so." Rei grabbed the remote and clicked off the show before turning back to him. "So, how are things so far, ojii-san?" she asked, briefly glancing over at the empty bed on the other side of the room. "I'm sorry we couldn't get you a private room…"

"It's fine, Rei-chan. I don't mind," he assured her. Honestly, Saburo was almost glad he had a roommate. It would be nice to have somebody to talk to who was going through the same thing. As long as he was friendly, Saburo didn't mind at all.

"Still, I'm sure you'd prefer a single," Rei said with a frown as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I wish…"

"Wish what?

The teen shrugged. "Oh, nothing."

She might have tried to brush her thoughts as nothing, but from the look in her eyes, Saburo had a pretty good idea what she was thinking about. "You're worrying about the money again, aren't you?" he asked.

Violet eyes widened, but she didn't deny it. "Well, what if I am?" Rei replied. "It's better than worrying about other things, like the things I can't control. At least there's something I can do about this."

"Like what, Rei-chan? You're barely sixteen years old. I told you not to concern yourself with our financial problems. That's my job."

"But you have enough to worry about. You don't need to worry about money, too. Besides, I already have a plan that might temporarily solve the problem."

A plan? Saburo was almost afraid to ask what it was. How in the world did a teenage girl expect to get her hands on that kind of cash? He was aware of the fact that Rei had already pawned some of her jewelry to pay for Dr. Mizuno's visits, but she couldn't keep doing that forever. That only left a few other possible options, and he didn't like a single one of them.

"Would this plan involve anything immoral or illegal?" he asked, staring his granddaughter straight in the eye. "Listen to me, Rei-chan, I don't want you to do anything you will regret doing later. I would rather die than have you pushing drugs or selling your body in one of those clubs. I raised you better than that."

"No, I'm not going to do anything like that, although I admit it might have crossed my mind at one time," she answered, much to his relief. "It's perfectly legitimate, if somewhat humiliating, but I'm willing to swallow my pride if it means affording you the best medical care possible."

"You don't mean to go to your fa-"

Unfortunately, before Saburo could finish his question, the door to his room opened and Dr. Mizuno stepped in, followed by another doctor. He was an older gentleman, with a thick mane of black hair generously streaked with gray and intelligent brown eyes.

"Forgive us," Dr. Mizuno apologized. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything important. There's someone I would like you to meet. Kondo-sama, Hino, I'd like to introduce you to my good friend, Asada Yasuo-sensei. He is the best oncologist we have on staff here at the hospital."

"Mizuno-sensei, you flatter me too much," Dr. Asada said with the typical Japanese modesty. "It is a pleasure to meet you both."

Rei slid off the bed and returned the bow the doctor gave them. "It's nice to meet you, too, Asada-sensei," she said. "Will you be ojii-san's doctor?"

"Yes, one of his doctors. I'll be heading the team working on Kondo-sama's case."

"I suppose that means it's time for the tests to begin, since you are here," Saburo said with a slight frown. Dr. Mizuno had filled him in on the battery of tests that would have to be performed, and he wasn't exactly looking forward to them.

"That would be correct, Kondo-sama," the doctor replied, stepping out of the way so the perky redhead nurse could roll the wheelchair back in the room. "We'll be taking you down to the labs for the first round of tests right now. It shouldn't take very long - an hour or two at the most. You should be back in here by lunchtime."

"Will I need to go too?" Rei asked while she helped the nurse get Saburo into the chair. "Mizuno-sensei said she wanted me to be tested as a possible bone marrow donor."

Dr. Mizuno answered that one. "Your appointment isn't until around two, Rei-chan, so if you would like, you may go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat or take a walk outside. Whatever you would like to do. You won't be needed for a while yet."

"Good, there was something I needed to take care of anyway," Rei said, causing Saburo to raise a questioning eyebrow in her direction. She ignored it though, squeezing his hand in comfort. "Ojii-san, I'll be back when you're finished, okay?"

"Rei-chan, where are you going?" he demanded to know. "Are you going to Hino-sama's office?"

She averted her eyes from his, a sure sign she wasn't going to tell him the whole truth. "I'm just going out for a while," she insisted. "Everything will be fine. Don't worry about me. You be a good patient and don't give the doctors any trouble. They're only trying to help you."

"Rei-chan…"

"I'll be back later. Bye!"

Sighing, Saburo watched his granddaughter leave the room and hoped she wasn't setting herself up for heartache.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rei glanced down at the piece of paper in her hands as she waited for the elevator to open in the lobby. It was her first visit inside the building since her mother's death. Her mother had taken her a few times when she was a little girl, but after that, obviously, Rei hadn't had any desire to visit her father at his Tokyo office. However, looking at the map she had picked up from the information booth, it didn't seem too hard to find. She folded the piece of paper back up as the doors to the elevator slid open and stepped inside, pressing the button on the control panel that would take her to the twentieth floor.

A few seconds later, much too quickly for Rei's taste, the doors opened, revealing a mad house of sorts. People were walking back and forth, carrying large cardboard boxes, and phones were ringing off the hook, all but ignored by their owners. Rei almost didn't get off, thinking she must have pushed the wrong button by accident. This was not what she had been expecting. Then she remembered that the elections had been a couple of weeks ago, and her father had been elected to the Diet. Today must have been set aside for the staff to pack their things for the big move.

Assured then she had the right floor, Rei exited the elevator and headed in the direction toward her father's office. She was grateful that she was almost unnoticed in the chaos. A few of the younger men let out low whistles as she passed them by, and one poor fool almost dropped the box he was carrying on his foot, but they were easy to ignore. Rei simply tossed her hair over her shoulder and muttered an annoyed "Men!" under her breath as she continued on by, pulling the map back out to find her way.

The governor's office, as it turned out, was at the very end of the main hall. Spotting the gold nameplate bearing his name on the door, Rei stopped, but hesitated in entering, her hand resting on the matching gold knob. She didn't know if she could go through with this.

What if he refused to give her the money? It was no secret that her father and grandfather didn't have the best relationship in the world. Her father could very well decide it was her grandfather's problem if he couldn't afford medical care. Rei didn't think he would be that cruel, but there was always the possibility.

"Well, I guess I won't know until I try," she said to herself, taking a deep breath before opening the door.

Inside, she found the secretary, possibly the only person on the floor working that day, talking on the phone. The dowdy woman - Miss Katsuki, she believed her name was - briefly glanced up from writing a note on a calendar and motioned that she would be with her in a moment. Rei nodded and stood quietly off to the side until Miss Katsuki was finished with her call.

"Sorry about that, miss," Miss Katsuki said, placing the receiver back in the cradle. "What may I do for you today?"

"I-I'm here to see otou-sama," Rei said, stuttering at first.

"Your father?" the secretary repeated. She looked confused at first, but then recognition flickered in her dull brown eyes. "Oh, Rei-san, it's you. Forgive me. It's been quite a long time since I saw you last."

"Yes, it has. Is otou-sama busy?"

"I'm afraid Hino-sama isn't here at the moment, Rei-san," she answered. "He's attending a funeral today."

Rei was so shocked that her father wasn't at work that she didn't comprehend the rest of the sentence at first. "A funeral? Whose?"

"You haven't heard? Negishi Shinji-sama died last Saturday."

"Negishi-sama? No, I didn't know…"

Rei barely knew the man, but she was sorry to hear of his passing. From what she remembered about him, he had been a kind and charismatic man, even if he had been a politician. Kaidou had admired him a lot, as well, almost as much as her father. His grandfather's death had probably devastated him. _Maybe I'll send him a letter_ , she thought, not for the first time regretting how things had ended between them. She had long gotten over her bitterness toward him, but she never could seem to find the courage to contact him.

"If you would like, you may wait for Hino-sama inside his private office," Miss Katsuki said, breaking Rei from her thoughts. "He should be arriving back here in another ten or fifteen minutes or so, and he doesn't have anything else scheduled until three. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Let me show you inside."

"Oh, thank you."

Following Miss Katsuki to the door, Rei entered the room and took a seat on the leather couch in the corner, looking around the bare office. From the looks of things, her father had obviously already finished his packing. Most everything personal was gone and sealed away inside the small stack of boxes sitting on the floor. For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder if any of those boxes contained a picture of her, but Rei pushed the thought away, already knowing the answer to that question without looking. Why would her father keep a picture of her in his office when he could barely stand to look at her live in the flesh?

Once again, Rei wondered if it was a mistake to come see him. He would probably be too busy to see her anyway, despite what Miss Katsuki had claimed. That was the story of his life, after all - always too busy to take an interest in anything but his own career. How many times had he brushed her off on account of some big, important meeting or press conference he simply couldn't get out of attending? Too many times to count. So, why did she think this time would be any different?

But no matter how much she wanted to leave, Rei couldn't. Her grandfather's face haunted her, and she knew she had to stay. Even if he didn't like to admit it, they needed her father's help. She was willing to do anything if it meant saving her grandfather's life.

So, Rei remained seated where she was and waited.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keitaro arrived back at his office a short time later, glad to finally find refuge from the reporters that had hounded him ever since he left the cemetery. Somehow, Negishi's funeral had turned into a media circus, and as the current governor of Tokyo (albeit for only a couple more days), every newspaper, magazine, and television station in town seemed to want a quote on how he felt about the passing away of his predecessor, as if the brief statement he released the day before wasn't enough. Normally, Keitaro didn't mind dealing with the media, but if one more reporter stuck a microphone in front of his face, asking him yet another inane question about Negishi's death, he would not be responsible for what he did.

"Katsuki-kun, did I get any calls while I was gone?" Keitaro asked as he stepped inside, slipping off the light overcoat he wore to reveal the black suit he wore underneath.

The woman nodded and handed him a small stack of Post-It notes. "Mostly requests for interviews with the media concerning Negishi-sama's death, but Uchizawa-san did call from Paris to pass on his condolences," she said. "Oh, and your daughter is here to see you as well."

Keitaro had been flipping though his messages but immediately stopped when he heard Rei was there. His eyes widened in surprise. "Rei-san?" he blurted. "Are you sure it was her?"

"Yes, sir. I told her she could wait for you in your office. I hope you don't mind."

"No, that's fine," he said, distractedly setting the messages back down on her desk. "Uh… Call these people back and inform them I will not be granting interviews at this time."

"Yes, sir."

Keitaro headed toward his office, still stunned by the announcement that Rei had come to visit him. In the sixteen years he had been in office, his daughter never once came to see him on her own accord. He wondered what she wanted. Certainly, it wasn't a friendly social call.

Inhaling deeply, Keitaro turned the doorknob and stepped inside. "Rei-san?" he said hesitantly, looking around the office for his daughter.

Over in the corner, the pretty teen immediately jumped up from her seat on the brown leather sofa and bowed. "Hello, otou-sama," she said, her eyes never once looking up at him. "I'm sorry I came over uninvited. I hope you don't mind."

"N-No, it's fine," he assured her, closing the door behind him as his brow furrowed in confusion. Keitaro noticed she wasn't dressed in her school uniform as she should have been on a Tuesday, but in a red sleeveless turtleneck and black slacks instead. "But aren't you supposed to be at school today?" he asked. "I don't remember it being a holiday."

"It's not. I called in sick," she admitted. "There were some…things I needed to do today."

"Oh."

Sighing, Keitaro took a seat in his chair behind his desk and motioned for Rei to join him. The teen did, sitting down in the seat reserved for visitors, but she didn't seem inclined to talk. Rei still refused to look at him, her head bowed as she pretended to pick at some imaginary lint on her shirt.

Her behavior puzzled him. Why had she come when she obviously didn't want to speak to him? Keitaro wished she would say something, even if the only reason why she had come was to yell at him. He wouldn't blame her if she did. At least that he could understand, but he couldn't understand the frosty silence that had come over them like a fog.

Finally, however, the fog lifted, and Rei looked up, revealing a face so familiar, Keitaro almost wished she hadn't. Unbearable pain washed over him, and he instinctively turned away.

"I'm sorry about Negishi-sama's death," she said softly. "I know how much you admired him."

"Thank you, Rei-san," he replied. "Is that why you came? To give me your condolences?"

Rei shook her head. "No, it wasn't. I actually didn't know he had died until Katsuki-san told me you had gone to his funeral. If I had known, I wouldn't have come here today to bother you with my problems. In fact, I think maybe I should go…"

She rose from her chair to leave, but Keitaro motioned for her to sit back down. No matter how strained their relationship had become over the years, if Rei's problems were dire enough for her to skip school in order to come see him, then he couldn't very well turn her away in good faith. He did owe her that much.

"What is it, Rei-san?" he asked once his daughter had resumed her seat. "Do you need something from me?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Rei loudly exhaled and said, in a voice so low Keitaro could barely understand her, "I need money."

"Money?"

Her request surprised him. Keitaro knew for a fact that neither his daughter or his father-in-law liked to receive charity. He had offered several times to raise the monthly allowance he sent to Saburo for Rei's care, yet each time the priest refused it. He had insisted he didn't need more and the amount he received was sufficient.

"Ojii-san has been sick for the last few months," Rei explained, her eyes lowering to stare at the folded hands on her lap. "At first, we didn't think it was anything serious, but yesterday, he was diagnosed with leukemia. That's why I didn't go to school today. He's been admitted to the hospital for more testing, and the doctors will probably start treatment soon."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Keitaro said honestly. It was true that he and Saburo had never been on the best of terms, but he had always held the deepest respect for his father-in-law.

"Yes, well, the treatments will be very expensive," she continued, barely acknowledging his condolences. Keitaro doubted Rei had even heard him. She seemed to be concentrating solely on her words, as if she was trying to recall the lines of a pre-written script. "Ojii-san doesn't have insurance, meaning we'll have to pay the hospital bills ourselves. I thought we would be able to take care of it without any help, but it has become obvious that we can't. The shrine isn't as busy as it used to be, and even if I were to quit school, I doubt I would be able to find a job with a paycheck large enough to cover anything. So, I'd like to ask you for a loan."

"A loan?" he repeated once Rei had finished her speech.

Blushing, Rei lifted her chin back up and nodded. "We'd pay every yen back, I swear," she promised. "I'll transfer to a public high school so the tuition isn't as high, and I can find a part-time job to work on the weekends. It might take a while, but I promise you that we will pay you back - with interest, too. You can even take Hikawa as collateral."

As he raised his hand to massage his temple, Keitaro struggled to wrap his mind around what she said. Rei had apparently put quite a bit of thought into her plan before she came, but asking him for a loan? Was he really nothing but a bank to her? All she needed to do was ask, and he would have been perfectly happy to give her the money. There was no need for words like "interest" and "collateral."

"That won't be necessary, Rei-san," he finally responded.

Purple eyes darkened. "I see. Is that your way of telling me you refuse to give me the loan?" she asked coolly, rising again from her seat. "I should have known. I don't even know why I came to you in the first place, otou-sama. You never cared about me and ojii-san before, so why should you start now?"

"That's not what I said," he refuted.

"Well, it's pretty obvious that you have no interest in helping us," Rei bitterly continued. "You don't want to give us the loan, so if you don't mind, I'll be leaving now. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

His daughter began heading toward the door to leave, but Keitaro pushed his chair away from his desk and stood, both desperate and irritated by her behavior.

"Rei-san, wait."

The raven-haired girl paused and reluctantly turned back around. "Yes, otou-sama?"

"I won't give you the loan," he said, ignoring the sullen look on her face, "but I will give you the money."

The shocked look on Rei's face soon melted into suspicion. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she tried to decide whether or not the offer was sincere, yet she did let go of the doorknob and took a couple of steps back toward the desk.

"What do you mean by that?" she cautiously asked.

Without answering, Keitaro sat back down and opened one of the drawers to his desk. He pulled out a pocketbook, one of the few things he had left unpacked, and began filling out the blanks. "I meant exactly what I said, Rei-san," he said, not looking up. "I don't care about the money. If you want the funds to pay for Kondo-sama's treatment, then I will be happy to give it to you, but not as a loan. I don't want you to pay this back."

"Then it would be a gift?"

"Yes, if that is what you want to call it, then it is a gift."

Rei shook her head, again backing toward the door. "I don't want your money, otou-sama," she declared softly. "I can't accept it."

Hearing that, Keitaro paused in his writing and set the pen down on the desk, confused. She needed the money, didn't she? Silly question. That much was evident by her very presence in his office. Rei never would have come to him unless she was truly desperate. So why wouldn't she accept a check? Money was the one thing he could always provide for her.

"Rei-san, don't be silly," he said, picking up the pen again to finish filling out the check. "Now, how much do you need? Fifty million yen?"

"I said I don't want your money," Rei repeated, this time in a stronger, firmer voice. "You think you can make up for all the mistakes you've made just by writing out a fat check and not asking for anything in return? Well, my love is not for sale, otou-sama. I don't care how much money you give me, it won't change anything between us."

Surprised by the accusation, Keitaro's head shot back up. "That's not what I was trying to do -"

"No?" she asked doubtfully. "So you expect me to believe you are being generous out of the goodness of your heart? That you honestly want to help the man who never approved of you as a husband for his daughter and wanted the marriage annulled?"

"Kondo-sama had good reason for that," Keitaro said, sighing as he remembered the argument the two of them had at the hospital the night of his elopement with Takara. "I don't hold it against him."

"Still…"

Tearing the slip out of his checkbook, Keitaro walked over to where his daughter stood and placed the folded piece of paper in her hand. "Take it," he ordered. "If you don't want to think of it as a gift, then consider it back payment for all the times I wanted to raise the allowance I send you but Kondo-sama refused. No strings attached. Like I said before, I don't care about the money, and if you need anymore, all you have to do is ask."

With that said, he went back to his desk and began reading over some papers Miss Katsuki had left for him to look over. As far as Keitaro was concerned, their visit was over.

Rei, for her part, didn't do much of anything at first. She simply stood there like a statue, her amethyst eyes staring at him with a mixture of anger and confusion. Slowly, though, she allowed her gaze to drop to the check in her hand. She unfolded it, and a small gasp escaped her lips.

"What is this?" she demanded to know, holding up the check with both hands so Keitaro, had he been looking up, could clearly see the elegant gray template filled with his neat, precise handwriting. Two spaces were conspicuously left blank. "Is this some kind of joke? If it is, I don't find it very funny at all!"

Keitaro shook his head, his eyes never leaving the document he was reading. "It's a blank check, Rei-san," he explained in a dull monotone. "You didn't tell me how much you needed, so I'll leave you to fill out the rest. Take as little or as much as you need."

"Oh." Reluctantly, Rei folded the check back up and placed it in her pocket. "Thank you, then, otou-sama. You are very generous."

After that, there really was nothing more to say. Rei left the room without as much as a goodbye, and as soon as he heard the door close behind her, Keitaro stopped reading the document and leaned his forehead on his hands. He felt even more miserable than before. He knew that he had handled that badly, but the accusation of him trying to buy her love… That had come completely out of the blue. It was the kind of insult he would expect someone to throw at Tanaka Yoshiyuki, not him. Did Rei really think him capabable of such a thing?

Keitaro leaned back and closed his eyes. He hadn't thought it possible, but it seemed his relationship with his daughter had deteriorated even further. Despite the fact that it was a sunny day outside, he felt as if he was sitting in the dark.

And it was a cold darkness.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Rei returned to her grandfather's room after the visit to her father's office, she found he had already finished with his tests and was engaged in a fierce game of chess with another man around his age, presumably his roommate. The two appeared to have hit it off quite well, laughing and playfully bickering with each other as she quietly entered the room. In fact, her grandfather, who sat with his back turned away from the door, didn't seem to notice she was there until his new friend commented about "the pretty young thing" who was standing near the door.

"Oh, Rei-chan, there you are," he said, glancing over his shoulder after moving one of his pawns. Immediately, his jovial countenance disappeared. "I was starting to wonder where you were."

Rei walked over to the table where the two were playing and bowed in apology. "Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to be so long."

"Did you take care of your errand?"

"Yes."

"Did you have any trouble?"

"No," she answered, her hand unconsciously moving to the pocket holding the blank check her father had given her. "Everything is taken care of, ojii-san."

"I see…" Her grandfather didn't seem happy by the news, but then again, Rei never expected him to be. He hadn't wanted her to ask her father for the money in the first place.

"Ojii-san, it's okay, really," she assured him.

Saburo frowned and turned his attention to his game. "Rei-chan, have you met Miyazaki Akira-san?" he asked, promptly changing the subject. "He's going to be my roommate for the next few days."

Across the table, Miyazaki acknowledged her presence with a slight nod and a friendly smile on his pale, worn face, and Rei noticed for the first time that he was wearing a rather bad toupee. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rei-chan," he said.

"Yes, nice to meet you, too, Miyazaki-san," Rei replied, returning the bow. Admittedly, though, it was more to hide the fact that she had been blatantly staring at the top of his head than anything else.

She was too late, however. Much to her embarrassment, Miyazaki chuckled and reached for his toupee, revealing his almost completely bald head. "Yes, it is a rug," he admitted as he examined the hairpiece in his hands. "Honestly, I don't know why I insist on wearing this silly thing anymore. It makes me look ridiculous."

"I-I wouldn't say that, sir," Rei stuttered, blushing.

Privately, though, she did think Miyazaki looked much better without the toupee. Without it, she could see he once must have been a very handsome man, and even now, he wasn't without his distinguished looks. He reminded her of a painting she once saw of a former emperor, whose noble bearing and good character had practically erased the lines and wrinkles on his face.

Setting aside the rug, Miyazaki sighed. "You're very kind to say so, miss, but I know I am only being vain. I think it is high time for me to realize I have more important things to worry about than how I look. As I was telling your grandfather before, a head full of hair is only a minor price to pay for the chance to live."

"And then he proceeded to give me the name and address of the store where he buys his toupees," Saburo added wryly, causing both men to laugh and Rei to crack a brief smile until she realized that in a few months, Saburo might have a reason to use that address.

It was hard to imagine what her grandfather would look like without his thick mane of snow white. According to some of the articles she had read in health class, it was not uncommon for chemotherapy patients to lose most of their hair during treatment. Rei hadn't paid much attention to it at the time, but now she wished she had. What other changes laid in store for him? For the both of them?

"Is something wrong?" Saburo asked, his laughter dying away when he saw Rei biting down on her lip and examining a strand of her own luxurious hair.

Rei quickly released the strand and shook her head. "Nothing, nothing," she lied.

"Rei-chan…"

"You know, I think I'll go for a walk," Miyazaki abruptly said, standing from his seat and placing the toupee back on his head. "A little birdie told me the vending machine down the hall was just refilled. Would either of you like anything?"

They both refused the kind offer, knowing the man was just making an excuse for them to talk alone, and once Miyazaki left, Rei took the seat he had vacated, taking some time to sort her thoughts. "Miyazaki-san seems nice," she commented after a short silence.

Nodding, Saburo made his next move. "He is," he agreed. "He's been telling me what I have to look forward to."

"You make it sound like an adventure."

"In a way, I guess it is, Rei-chan. Not one I particularly wanted to have, but an adventure nonetheless."

"So, what did he tell you?" she questioned, leaning back in her chair. Neither were concentrating on the game anymore. "Other than giving you tips on buying toupees, I mean."

Saburo sighed. "Mostly he was preparing me for the common side effects of chemotherapy - hair loss, vomiting, anemia…"

Hearing that, Rei frowned, confused. It didn't sound like chemotherapy helped much at all. In fact, it seemed as if it would make him even sicker than before. "But isn't chemo supposed to make you feel better, ojii-san?" she asked.

"It is supposed to make me better, not make me feel better," Saburo explained. "Asada-sensei was telling me that while chemo is meant to kill the cancerous cells, it can also destroy healthy ones as well. That's why most patients lose their hair."

"Oh," Rei said, feeling woefully inadequate in the knowledge of her grandfather's disease. She made a mental note to ask Ami to lend her one of those thick medical textbooks the blue-haired genius was always reading so she could learn more. "I'm sorry."

"It's not so bad. I was thinking of going bald anyway," Saburo remarked with a forced chuckle as he ran a hand through his still thick head of hair. "It worked for Buddha, didn't it?"

Rei didn't find the joke particularly funny. "You don't have to do that, ojii-san."

"Do what?"

"Pretend you're not scared."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" he asked. Rei nodded, and Saburo looked both sad and sympathetic. "Oh, Rei-chan, I am scared. More scared than you can ever imagine."

"Then why are you laughing and making jokes?" she demanded to know, rising from her seat to kneel down beside him on the floor.

"Because it makes me feel better," he answered. "Pessimism doesn't cure diseases. That's another thing Miyazaki-san taught me. You saw him, right? He's not moping around, feeling sorry for himself, like a lot of people would. He's making the best of things, and he's winning because of that."

"But it's so hard to be optimist," Rei whispered, resting her head on his knee so he wouldn't be able to see the tears she knew were threatening to fall. "I don't want to see you lose your hair or be sick all the time, ojii-san. It isn't fair! This shouldn't be happening to you, not you…"

A gentle hand patted her head. "It'll be okay, little one. It'll be okay."

"But how do you know that?"

"I don't," he admitted. "But I do know one thing."

Rei lifted her head, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "What's that?"

Saburo smiled and brushed back a strand of her hair behind her ear. "That no matter what happens, you will be able to make it through. You are so strong, my Rei-chan, and that gives me the strength to fight as well."

"Oh, ojii-san…"

Rei felt the incredible urge to jump up and hug the brave man, her beloved grandfather, but at the moment, the door to the room opened, and Miyazaki stepped back inside, followed by Dr. Mizuno. A quick glance at a nearby clock revealed it was almost two o'clock. It was time for her appointment to be tested as a possible bone marrow donor.

"Hino-san, are you ready?" the blue-haired woman asked.

Rei nodded and stood. She was as ready as she would ever be. "Whenever you are, Mizuno-sensei."

"Okay, then if you will, please follow me."


	15. Phoenix Rising, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the medical information in this chapter was taken from _I Want To Live_ by Lurlene McDaniel, a novel about a teenage girl who undergoes a bone marrow transplant. Any similarities between the book and the scenes in this chapter are coincidental.
> 
>  _Hana to Yume_ \- A real Japanese magazine, probably most known for publishing the manga version of Fruits Basket.
> 
>  _Pas maintenant, chouchou. Maman a la téléphone._ \- Not now, sweetheart. Mama is on the phone.
> 
>  _Maman_ \- Mama
> 
>  _chéri_ \- dear
> 
>  _Le Petit Prince_ (The Little Prince) - A well-known French children's book.
> 
> Jakakuerine - This is the Japanese approximation of Jacqueline's name. Minoru has a difficult time pronouncing it correctly.
> 
> Tenshi-chan - Means "little angel," an appropriate nickname for Angelique.

Dressed all in sickly green, Rei stopped in front of the room marked _Isolation_ and finished tying the surgical mask over her face. The protective clothing she had to wear every time she visited was a pain, but they were a necessary evil to protect her grandfather from germs while he was undergoing his immune suppression drug therapy.

Her grandfather's chemotherapy treatment had not been as successful as his doctors had hoped. Although he had enjoyed a brief remission shortly after completion, the cancer had returned with a vengeance, stronger than before. His only real hope for recovery was the bone marrow transplant that Dr. Mizuno had warned Rei might be necessary. Unfortunately, Rei had not been a perfect match, and thus, the need for the drugs, which would hopefully keep his body from rejecting her bone marrow when the transplant was performed the next day. Until her marrow started to work on its own in its new home, he would be vulnerable to any and all infections, his body completely helpless to ward off illness.

Rei had already checked herself into the hospital earlier that evening for the procedure that would take place early the next morning. She wasn't worried about her part in the transplant, but she did fear for her grandfather, who looked so pale and lifeless as she stared at him through the tiny window in the door.

What if her bone marrow wasn't compatible enough? What if his body rejected the transplant? What if he caught an infection before his immune system began functioning normally again? So many questions were running through her mind. There were countless risks and no guarantees…

Rei shook her head, trying to shake the negative thoughts from her mind, and forced herself to take the advice Minako had given her the day before: Be positive. That's what she needed to do. As her grandfather had learned from his friend Miyazaki, pessimism didn't cure diseases. Reminded of that, Rei found the courage to enter the room and plastered a bright, if obviously fake, smile on her face, even though he wasn't able to see it through her mask.

"Hello, ojii-san," she greeted him with false cheerfulness. "Are you ready for the big day tomorrow?"

The weak, fragile man laying in the bed chuckled as he turned his practically bald head toward her. His hair had begun to grow back after the first round of chemotherapy, but he would lose it all again after the transplant.

"Do I know you, miss?" he joked, squinting his dark brown eyes. "You kind of look like my granddaughter, but my Rei-chan is never so happy-go-lucky. Minako-chan, is that you?"

Rei rolled her eyes. "No, it's me," she assured him, carefully sitting down on the edge of his bed. "But Minako-chan does send her best wishes, as do Usagi-chan and the rest of my friends. They're all pulling for you to make a full recovery."

"Such nice girls…"

Rei nodded in agreement. Her friends had indeed been wonderful throughout the past year since he was first diagnosed, even with the distraction of major battles with Nehelenia and Chaos - the latter which would have resulted in their permanent deaths had Usagi not been able to recover their Sailor Crystals. Rei shuddered at the memory, for once glad her grandfather had been in the hospital at the time with a serious infection and therefore had no idea she had technically died after she and Minako battled Sailor Lead Crow.

"Rei-chan, is something wrong?" he asked, apparently noticing how she was hugging herself tightly.

She shook her head and smiled, rubbing her arms like an Eskimo without her parka in the snow. "No, of course not," Rei replied. "It's just a little nippy in here, don't you think? There must be a draft or something blowing in from somewhere."

"Actually, I'm rather warm. They like to keep the temperature high in here. Less chance of me catching a cold or something, I guess. Not that I mind. I'm accustomed to the heat. I can almost imagine we're back at Hikawa, and I'm meditating in front of the sacred fire…"

His dark eyes closed, as if picturing the scene in his mind, and a wistful smile played on his lips. He wanted so badly to go home. Rei knew how much he hated having to be in the hospital and away from his beloved shrine, even if it was necessary.

"You'll be going home to Hikawa soon, ojii-san," Rei declared softly as she reached for his hand, sounding far more confident than she felt. "In a few weeks, you'll be good as new. You'll see."

"You make it sound so easy," he quipped, eyes fluttering back open as his smile widened. "I hope you're right. No, I know you're right. We'll be home soon, and everything will be just as it was."

"Right."

Silence fell over the two as both prayed it to be true. All they had left was faith - hope that somehow, in the end, everything would be okay. Neither liked to talk about it, but they were aware that even if the transplant was successful, there was only a fifty-fifty chance he would live. The transplant was a risk, but it was a risk they were willing to take. Without it, the doctors gave him a month or two at best. With it, her grandfather might be cured.

Or, he might die.

No matter how hard she tried, Rei could not forget that. The thought continuously echoed and echoed in her mind until sometimes she feared she might scream under the weight of her worries. It had been a long time since she last felt anything even resembling happiness. Not even her best friend, the girl who often gave the appearance of being on an unending high (untrue as that might be), could break through the clouds surrounding her. Between working to keep a struggling Hikawa in business, the last two battles, and her grandfather's illness, Rei wouldn't have been surprised in the least if she had an emotional breakdown. 

All she wanted was to be happy again. Was that too much to ask? She wanted her grandfather home, healthy and cured, and to be able to enjoy the rare peace with her friends as they finished their last two years of high school. It wasn't much, but at that moment, Rei would have given almost anything for her wish to come true.

"Hey, what's wrong?" her grandfather asked after a few minutes, lifting up Rei's chin. Though she tried to hide them by quickly turning her head away, Rei knew even with the short glance, he saw the tears watering in her eyes. "I thought we promised no unhappy thoughts tonight."

"Sorry," she apologized, wiping away the tears with the sleeve of her hospital scrubs. Rei hated being weak like this. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry. Her grandfather needed her to be strong. "I can't help it. I'm trying to be optimistic, really I am, but it's so hard…"

Scooting over in his bed, he patted the spot next to him, telling Rei to come sit beside him. She felt a little silly, like a child sneaking into her parents' bed during a thunderstorm, but she didn't protest, taking comfort in his arms wrapped around her in a tight hug, as if somehow he could protect her from all the ugliness in the world.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured, kissing the top of her plastic-covered head. "No matter what happens, you have to believe that."

Rei shook her head, not wanting to hear it. "You can't make those kinds of promises, ojii-san, so please don't. You don't know what is going to happen. Nobody does."

"That may be true, but nothing good ever comes out of thinking like that," he said, his eyes a little sad as Rei glanced up. "You need to have hope, even in your darkest hours. Things might seem bad now, but that doesn't mean they will be that way forever. Even if the transplant doesn't work, and I die -"

"I don't want to hear about this," Rei interrupted him, her voice hoarse and angry as she turned her head back toward the closed door. "Don't talk like that. Besides, I thought you didn't want us to think about the possibility of you dying, and here you are, bringing the subject up yourself."

He chuckled, but it was a dry laugh and free of any trace of joviality. "I think you misunderstood," he said. "There's a difference in being optimistic and fooling yourself. I'm not fooling myself, Rei-chan. I know as well as you do there is a real chance this might not work. However, I am hoping that it will. Does that make any sense to you?"

"A little…" she answered, although Rei still wasn't certain she quite understood what he was saying.

How was that any different from what she had been doing earlier? She was just as hopeful as he was that the transplant would work, wasn't she? She certainly didn't want him to die. Rei wanted him to be cured and to be able to return to Hikawa.

However, if she was being really truthful with herself, Rei would have to admit she had her doubts. She wanted to believe the transplant would be a success, but Rei had low expectations. She rationalized it would hurt less that way, in case something did go wrong, but perhaps she was wrong to think like that.

Was that what her grandfather was trying to get her to see?

Rei was about to ask him, but when she turned back around, she realized he had already fallen asleep. It was getting late, and she probably needed to get back to her own room before one of the nurses realized she was missing. Carefully, Rei untangled herself from his grandfatherly embrace as not to wake him, then tucked him underneath the sheets.

"I love you, ojii-san," she whispered after hesitantly landing a mask-covered kiss on the top of his bald head. "I know I never told you that, and you probably aren't listening to me now, but I do. I'll try to be optimistic, no matter what happens. I promise."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, after a less than peaceful slumber, Saburo awoke and blankly stared at the ceiling as he waited, counting the lines that crisscrossed the white surface. Rei was already in surgery, so there was little to do until one of the nurses brought in the new marrow to begin the second phase of the transplant.

The time passed slowly, so a surprise visit by Watanabe Miyuki, his late daughter's best friend, was a welcome change of pace. The blonde, dressed in the same ugly green scrubs required of all visitors to his room, quietly entered the room and closed the door behind her, disrupting his count, not that he particularly minded. Saburo immediately smiled and sat up in his bed.

"Miyuki-chan, what a pleasant surprise!" he exclaimed, allowing her to give him a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"When Rei-chan told me about the transplant, I offered to come help take care of Hikawa for a couple of weeks while you both recovered," she explained, taking a seat in the chair beside his bed. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been here sooner, but unfortunately, the train had some trouble and we were temporarily derailed. In fact, I haven't even had time to take my things to Hikawa. I came here straight from the station."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did. Rei-chan would have killed me if I let you go through this alone. When I talked to her on the phone, she said if she couldn't be with you, then I was the next best thing."

Saburo smiled, touched by Rei's thoughtfulness. He would have been perfectly willing to go through the whole transplant alone, but he had to admit Miyuki's presence was reassuring. With somebody there with him, Saburo didn't feel quite so afraid of what was about to happen.

"How is Rei-chan?" he asked. "Did you check on her condition before you came to see me?"

"I talked to one of the nurses on Rei-chan's floor. She's still in the operating room, but, so far, there have been no complications. It's a textbook perfect procedure. They should be finishing up soon. You won't have to wait too much longer."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Saburo leaned back against his pillows. He hadn't been too worried about Rei, as she was still young and healthy, two of the best qualities in a transplant donor, but he felt better knowing things were going well during her procedure. Now, all he had to do was wait until it was his turn.

While they waited, Miyuki brought him up-to-date on what had been happening in her life, most of their conversation revolving around Miyuki's and Kazuya's brood of children, which was currently up to five. Since in Nagano, summer break wouldn't begin for another couple of days, Kazuya had volunteered to stay at home with the children while Miyuki went ahead to Tokyo to be there for the transplant. The rest of the family would hopefully be arriving on Saturday. Saburo was looking forward to it, as he hadn't seen Takara, Reika, Fumie, and Shigure in ages and had yet to even meet the newest member of the family, eighteen-month-old Kado.

"He really is the cutest baby," the new mother gushed after regaling Saburo with the story behind Kado's first word, the none-too-nice "baka." "Oh, I wish I had remembered to bring a picture. He looks just like his father when Kazuya was a baby."

"That's okay," Saburo grinned. "With any luck, I'll be seeing Kado-chan in person very soon. That'll be better than any picture."

"I hope you do get the chance to meet him," she said softly, not realizing how that sounded until it was too late. Her eyes instantly widened when she comprehended her mistake, and Miyuki folded her hands on her lap, head bowed in apology. "Oh, Kondo-sama, I didn't mean to say that. Forgive me. Of course you'll meet Kado-chan and see Takara-kun and the others. Reika-chan made this adorable origami crane in school as a get well gift, and Fumie-chan and Shigure-chan insist on singing the song they wrote for you…"

Sighing, Saburo patted Miyuki's glove-covered hand in comfort, assuring her there were no hard feelings, though a part of him flinched at the reminder of what might possibly happen. For all his positive thinking, the awareness that he might die was always there like a disease in remission. It may have been hidden, but never truly gone.

"It's fine, Miyuki-chan."

"No, it's not. It was an incredibly thoughtless thing for me to say, especially today, of all days."

"It was an honest mistake. I know you didn't mean anything by it."

"But -"

"Besides, you're right. There is a chance I won't ever get to meet Kado-chan, although I hope with all my heart I will," he admitted with a sigh. "In fact, I'm rather glad you brought up the subject, painful as it might be. There is something I've been meaning to ask you."

Slowly, Miyuki lifted her head back up, her eyes glistening with held back tears. "What's that?" she asked, her voice shaking only a little as she rose from her seat in the hard plastic chair and sat down at the edge of his hospital bed. "Do you need me to do something for you? You know I would be happy to do anything for you. All you have to do is ask."

Saburo nodded, taking the hand Miyuki offered and giving it a gentle squeeze. "If something should happen to me," he said after a short pause of hesitation, "then I want you to promise me you'll take care of Rei-chan."

"Don't say things like that. Nothing is going to happen to you," she insisted in a soft whisper. However, Saburo didn't fail to see Miyuki averting her eyes as she spoke, looking down at the floor instead of him. She never had been a good liar.

Still, Saburo pressed, knowing he would not be able to relax and fully concentrate on his recovery until he knew his granddaughter would be cared for in the event of his death. "Please, Miyuki-chan," he begged, squeezing her hand even tighter. "You and Watanabe-san will have guardianship of Rei-chan after I die, you know that. I only want you to promise me you'll take good care of her. Rei-chan tries to be so strong, but at heart, she is still a child, and she needs people to love her and help her through this. She's already lost so much…"

"You know I'll take care of her," Miyuki reassured him. "You don't have to worry. I'll love Takara's daughter as if she were my own."

"Thank you, Miyuki-chan."

At that moment, the door to his room opened, and Dr. Asada walked in, along with the redhead nurse. Rei's operation had ended, and it was time for the transplant to be performed. Realizing what was happening, Miyuki slid back off the bed to return to her chair as the nurse hooked a bag filled with what looked like red gel to the metal stand used for IVs and inserted a needle into one of the tubes protruding from his body.

"Is that Rei-chan's marrow, sensei?" Miyuki asked the doctor.

"Yes," Dr. Asada answered. "That's about 1500 cc's of bone marrow, or in laymen's terms, roughly about 45 million cells. The transfer should take about five hours, so it'll be awhile yet. Kuruma-san here will be checking on Kondo-sama's vitals every fifteen minutes and keeping an eye out for signs of possible rejection, such as rashes and itchiness. If he begins to exhibit any of those signs between the check-up times, then please don't hesitate to call for the nurse, Miss…?"

"Watanabe. I'm Watanabe Miyuki, a close friend of the family."

He nodded in acknowledgment. "Nice to meet you, Watanabe-san. It's always warms my heart to know my patients don't have to go through this ordeal alone. I'm the doctor in charge of Kondo-sama's medical team, Dr. Asada Yasuo."

"It's a pleasure, sensei."

"How is Rei-chan doing?" Saburo asked once the introductions were over and he was more or less settled. "Did everything go as expected?"

"Hino-san performed wonderfully. We couldn't have asked for a better donor. The procedure went through without a hitch, and I expect she'll be up and around by tomorrow after getting some much-needed rest."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that."

After making a few last minute adjustments to his IV drip, the nurse and doctor left the room, leaving Saburo and Miyuki to their own private thoughts. Neither spoke as Miyuki reached for his hand and they both watched Rei's bone marrow flow through the tube attached to the bag and into his body.

 _Please, let this work_ , Saburo prayed silently. _Please don't let my granddaughter's gift be in vain._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in one of the private waiting rooms on the oncology floor of the hospital, Minako and the other three members of the inner senshi, along with a red-haired stranger Minako couldn't help but think was extremely handsome in an older, distinguished way, were patiently waiting for news on Rei's operation.

Or at least most of them were waiting patiently. While the man sat in the chair, his head leaned back, eyes closed, and Makoto and Ami were silently engaged in their own private activities to keep themselves occupied during the wait, Usagi was fidgeting about like she had ants in her pants.

"Why is this taking so loooong?" the familiar whine of their princess demanded, interrupting the relative quiet of the room. "Shouldn't we know something by now?"

Beside the odango-haired blonde, Ami sighed and rubbed her forehead as she set down the medical textbook she had been reading to pass the time. Even the kind-hearted future doctor, normally the most patient when it came to Usagi's sometimes childish behavior, seemed to have grown tired of her constant inquiries over Rei's and Saburo's conditions, although Minako couldn't necessarily blame her. They were all a little frazzled by the waiting, and it had been an extremely long morning.

"These things take time, Usagi-chan," Ami explained for about the twentieth time since they arrived. "Somebody will let us know when Rei's procedure is over."

"But this waiting is excruciating," Usagi continued, slumping back in her chair after exhaling very loudly. "Can't you go find your mother and ask her how things are going? Or maybe I'll ask Mamo-chan. He's supposed to be working here today…"

"Usagi-chan, Mamoru-san doesn't work on the oncology floor, and neither does Mizuno-sensei, for that matter," Makoto pointed out. "I don't think they'll know much of anything."

"But they can always ask around, can't they? Mizuno-sensei, at least, has to have some connections. Please, Ami-chan?"

"I'm sorry, Usagi-chan. Okaa-san is busy with her own patients, so we are just going to have to wait like everybody else," Ami said, causing Usagi to frown. Reaching for the blonde's hand, her face softened in sympathy. "Hey, I know you are worried about Rei-chan and her grandfather - we all are - but you have to be patient. Why don't you try focusing on something else for the time being, like studying? It'll make the time go by faster."

Cerulean eyes rolled at the suggestion. "Come on, it's summer break! People aren't supposed to study on vacation," Usagi declared. Letting out a huge yawn, she rested her head on Minako's shoulder. "Besides, I think I'm just going to take a nap. We woke up way too early this morning. Wake me up when we hear any news about Rei-chan."

Ami shrugged and reached again for her textbook. "Suit yourself. It was just a suggestion," she said, adjusting her glasses before settling back down to continue her reading.

After a few minutes, silence once again returned to the waiting room as Makoto started flipping through an old issue of an arts-and-crafts magazine she found laying on the nearby end table and Usagi fell asleep before Minako even had the chance to suggest she find another poor soul to use as her pillow. Sighing, Minako resigned herself to her fate, unable to find it in her heart to wake her princess back up, and carefully shifted her body to a more comfortable position before turning her thoughts back to her best friend.

Out of all of them, Minako was probably the most impatient to hear the news about Rei's condition, although she was much better at hiding it than Usagi was. Her abilities as an aspiring actress were in fine form that morning as she outwardly struggled to keep her cool, knowing that going crazy with worry would not help neither Rei nor her grandfather.

Inside, though, was another story. Her stomach was tied in knots, and a thousand thoughts were flying through her head, all converging into one big, tangled mess until she didn't know what to think anymore. Even though chances were good that Rei would pull through without any trouble, especially with the extra physical protection she had as Sailor Mars, that didn't make any of them any less worried that something might go wrong. As Ami had told them, any medical operating procedure came with some risks, and even a perfectly healthy donor could experience some problems.

But Minako tried not to think about that, remembering what she had told Rei a couple of days ago. She needed to think positive. Rei would be perfectly fine, as stubborn and hard-working as ever in no time. In fact, Minako began dreading the next few days, knowing how cranky and frustrated the miko could get when she wasn't allowed to work. Rei was one of the hardest workers she knew and hated being idle.

 _Maybe I'll bring some of her calligraphy supplies here tomorrow, so she can at least work on charms and fortunes for the shrine_ , Minako thought, idly twirling a strand of her blonde hair around her finger. _Rei-chan would like that. And maybe I can loan her some of my new manga…_

Minako became so wrapped up in her plans to cheer Rei up, she barely noticed when the door to the waiting room opened and an older man with gray-streaked black hair and wearing a lab coat stepped inside. However, the others did and immediately stopped what they were doing, Ami reaching over to gently shake Usagi awake. Feeling the weight on her shoulder lift as Usagi sat back up and yawned, Minako abruptly turned her attention to the doctor and the red-haired man, who she vaguely remembered Rei mentioning was her godfather.

"Asada-sensei, did the procedure go well?" the Adonis asked, standing from his seat and setting down his cup of coffee. "How is Rei-chan?"

"Hino-san is fine. She's resting in her room, sleeping off the effects of the anesthesia," the doctor answered to a round of relieved sighs from Minako and the others. "The procedure was a complete success, and we just began the second phase of the transplant a few moments ago."

"That's good. When shall we expect to hear word on Kondo-sama's condition?"

"The transfer of the donor marrow to the patient generally takes about five hours, although we certainly will keep you informed if anything drastic happens in the meantime. Until then, keep your fingers crossed."

"We will, sensei. Thank you."

Dr. Asada turned to leave after informing them of the news, but before he left, Minako jumped up from her seat on the couch. "Sensei, when may we go visit Rei-chan?" she asked, anxious to see Rei was fine for herself.

Considering her question, the doctor rubbed his chin. "Well, I would like Hino-san to get some rest first," he began, "but I don't see a problem with her receiving a few visitors later this afternoon. I'll tell you what. Why don't you girls go down to the cafeteria or to a nearby café and get some lunch? By the time you get back, the anesthesia should have worn off and you can see Hino-san then."

"I am hungry…" Usagi admitted, blushing as her stomach let out a faint growl to demonstrate.

The others, including the two adults, laughed, finally able to relax a little bit now that they knew things were going well so far. "Hey, let's go to that new Italian restaurant down the street," Makoto proposed once their giggles had subsided. "I've been wanting to try it out, and I heard it is supposed to have some great food. The newspaper gave it five stars."

"That's sounds fine to me," Ami agreed, gathering up her books to leave. "It's been awhile since I had Italian food."

"Usagi-chan?"

Hopping up from her seat, the blonde enthusiastically nodded. "Sure, count me in. You know me, I'll eat anything if I'm hungry enough."

"Okay, that's three votes for Italian," Makoto said, holding up three fingers. "What about you, Minako-chan? Any objections?"

As much as she liked Italian, Minako wasn't very hungry at the moment. She shook her head and sat back down on the couch. "Why don't you guys go on without me?" she suggested.

"What?" Usagi asked. "Aren't you hungry, Minako-chan? It's been hours since breakfast, and it's almost lunchtime. You aren't sick, are you?" Bending down, the princess placed a cool hand against Minako's forehead to take her temperature, concern in her clear blue eyes. "You don't feel like you have a fever…"

"I'm fine, Usagi-chan," Minako insisted, giving her a slight smile. "I just don't have much of an appetite right now, that's all. Trying to lose a couple of extra pounds, you know… You three go eat, and I'll stay here."

"By yourself? Won't you get lonely, though?"

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself for a couple of hours. Now, go eat! I'll be okay."

Usagi didn't look convinced, exchanging worried looks with the other two girls, but reluctantly they agreed. "Okay, we'll bring you back some lasagna or something," Usagi promised as they headed toward the door. "But if you want some company, you know where to find us. There's always room for one more at our table."

"Sure. Bye!"

"See you!"

The girls, as well as the doctor, then left the room, the door closing behind them with a soft click. Minako sighed, leaning against the back of the couch, and lowered her eyelids as she mentally said a prayer of thanks for Rei's successful operation and prayed her grandfather's procedure would go just as well.

"You're Aino-san, aren't you?" the redhead man asked as he unexpectedly walked over and sat down beside Minako on the couch, interrupting her prayers. It was the first time he had tried to talk to any of them that morning, other than a polite "good morning" when they first arrived.

Her eyes widening, Minako nodded. "Yes, I'm Aino Minako," she said. "How did you know?"

"Rei-chan talks a lot about you and the other girls," he replied. "She told me you were the pretty blonde who always wore her hair pulled back with a red bow. I'm her godfather, by the way - Uchizawa Minoru."

Embarrassed by the compliment, Minako felt her cheeks warm. "It's very nice to meet you, Uchizawa-san," she said, bowing her head in an effort to hide how flustered she was.

"The pleasure is mine, Aino-san." Minoru leaned back and casually swung his arm over the top of the couch. "So, you didn't go with your friends? Aren't you hungry?"

"No, I didn't feel much like eating right now," Minako said, still looking down at the hands she had folded her lap. "I have other things on my mind besides food."

Minoru nodded. "I see. You're concerned about Rei-chan and Kondo-sama, aren't you?" he guessed.

Minako considered lying, not sure if she wanted to talk about her feelings with almost a perfect stranger, but there was something about the man sitting beside her that made her feel instantly comfortable around him. Maybe it was the fact that she could tell Minoru loved Rei almost - if not more - than she did, or maybe she was still a little star-struck by his handsome, movie star looks, but whatever it was, Minako felt compelled to admit to him the truth.

"Yeah," she said softly, finally willing herself to look back up.

"Rei-chan is lucky to have such a devoted friend," he said with a small smile.

"Do you really think so? I mean, sometimes we get into arguments and stuff…"

"Every friendship has its ups and downs, Aino-san. The important thing is that when it really counts, you are there for the other. That's what true friendship is. And I, for one, am very happy that Rei-chan has you and those other girls in her life. She's been so much happier these last couple of years since she met you all…" At that, Minoru's face, still quite youthful despite the appearance of a few lines of ages, grew almost wistful, a true sadness in his eyes.

"What do you mean, Uchizawa-san?" Minako asked, curious by the sudden change. She knew Rei hadn't had the happiest childhood, with her mother dying and being shipped off to live with the grandfather she had never met before, but that was about all Minako knew. On the rare occasions Minako tried to get her to talk about her life before coming a senshi, Rei would usually say there was no point in dwelling in the past and immediately change the subject.

"Rei-chan's always been somewhat of a loner," he explained after a short pause to gather his thoughts. "She doesn't trust many people, afraid that if she does, they'll end up hurting her in the long run. I can't say I necessarily blame her, even though it saddens me that she feels that way. Rei-chan has experienced a lot of disappointment in her life over the years."

"Like what?"

Minoru shook his head. "I'm not sure even I know the whole story, Aino-san. As I'm sure you are well aware, Rei-chan isn't very open, even with the people she does love. I do know, though, her biggest disappointment is her relationship with her father."

"The former governor," Minako remarked, looking around at the almost empty room. For the first time, she noticed the absence of Hino Keitaro, which caused her to frown. Shouldn't he have come? Despite their strained relationship, he was still Rei's father and Saburo's son-in-law. Minako would have expected him to be there.

"No, he didn't come," Minoru said sadly, answering Minako's unasked question. "He asked me to call if anything happened, but he didn't think it was important to be here today."

"Oh."

Minako didn't know what else to say to that. Superficially, a part of her always thought that Rei was exaggerating a little when she spoke of their relationship, upset that her father never had time for her. After all, Ami's divorced mother was often busy with work and she very rarely saw her artist father, yet Ami still loved them dearly, and while Minako and her mother never saw eye to eye on anything, she knew in her heart her parents loved her as much as she did them. However, perhaps it was possible for a father to be that apathetic toward his daughter, as it appeared Hino Keitaro was.

"Yes, it's a sad situation," Minoru said with a heavy sigh. "But Keitaro isn't completely to blame. I know you must think he is a terrible person, but he isn't. He's simply afraid."

"Of what?" Minako asked, confused.

"Love."

"Love? That's silly. Love is the most wonderful thing in the entire world! How can anybody possibly be afraid of love?"

Minoru gave her a wry grin. "I don't expect you to understand, Aino-san. I've only just begun understanding it myself. Perhaps when you're older. For now, keep your dreams of love and romance. It's an attractive and refreshing quality in a young girl."

For the second time, Minako blushed, but, luckily, before he could notice, a perky redhead nurse entered the room, diverting the attention to her.

"If you would like to see Hino-san now, she is awake and ready to receive visitors," the nurse announced, holding the door open. "The doctor insists only one visitor at a time, though. Asada-sensei wants her to take it easy."

"Oh."

Hearing that, Minako, who had started to stand with Minoru in order to go to Rei's room, sat back down on the couch. However, a gentle touch on her shoulder startled her, and she glanced back up to see Minoru looking down at her with kind green eyes.

"You may go, Aino-san," he said. "I'll visit Rei-chan later."

Minako shook her head in protest. "No, I couldn't. She's your goddaughter. I'm only a friend. You should see her first. Besides, I should really wait here for the others to come back from lunch…"

"I'll tell them where you are," Minoru promised. "Now, go see Rei-chan. I insist."

Minako hesitated, but eventually she stood back up to follow the nurse to Rei's room. "Thank you, Uchizawa-san. I really appreciate this."

"No, thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything you and your friends have done for Rei-chan."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in her room, Rei sighed as she mindlessly flipped through a magazine from the stack somebody had left on the table beside her. Ten minutes had passed since she had woken up from her operation and she was already bored out of her mind. The next few days were going to be pure torture!

"Well, I suppose a few days of boredom is only a minor price to pay for the chance to save ojii-san's life," she said to herself, closing the fashion magazine and placing it back on the short stack.

Thinking of her grandfather, she wondered how things were going with the transfer. It should have already begun some time ago while she was still asleep. Were things going well? Any signs of rejection yet? Rei hoped Miyuki at least made it in time to keep her grandfather company during the transfer. Her mother's best friend hadn't arrived before Rei went into the operating room as planned, so Rei had worried Miyuki might not make it until everything was already over, but she hoped she did. Rei didn't like the idea of her grandfather going through the whole ordeal alone.

A knock and the sound of the door opening interrupted her thoughts. "Hi, Rei-chan!" a cheerful voice called out from the doorway, causing Rei to smile at the familiar antics of her best friend. "I'm here!"

"Hello, Minako-chan," Rei greeted her friend, though with a little less enthusiasm than the peppy blonde. She carefully pulled herself so that she was sitting upright and glanced around, surprised when she saw Minako was the only one there. "Where is everybody else?"

"Oh, while we were waiting to see you, they decided to go out to lunch at the new Italian restaurant down the street Mako-chan wanted to try out," Minako answered. "They'll be back soon. Everybody is really happy with how things went."

"You know you all didn't have to come today. It was only a minor procedure, hardly life-threatening," Rei said, still amazed that everybody was so concerned about her. Even Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru had called her early in the morning to apologize for not being able to be there because of work-related and school activities and to give their best wishes to her and her grandfather.

Minako shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Rei-chan. You are our friend, and we wanted to be here for you. Besides, we're just as concerned about your grandfather as you are."

"How is ojii-san? Have you heard anything yet? Did Watanabe-san arrive in time to be there with him?"

"If you mean that older blonde woman, then yes, I do remember her coming in the waiting room for a minute to talk to your godfather before she left again," Minako said. "And everything seems to be going well so far with the transfer, although we haven't heard anything since Asada-sensei came in to tell us you were back in your room. As they always say, 'no news is better than gold,' right?"

"That's 'no news is good news,' Minako-chan," Rei corrected with a slight roll of her eyes.

Minako brushed it off, as she did all the other times she misquoted a famous saying, and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Whatever. You know what I mean, right? Anyway, how are you feeling?"

In response to Minako's question, Rei rubbed the side of her hip where the doctor had extracted her bone marrow, reminded of the dull pain that lingered. Dr. Asada had told her she'd probably experience some discomfort for the next couple of days, but thanks to her heightened healing abilities as a senshi, Rei didn't think it was as bad as she imagined it would be. She could probably even walk if she wanted to, yet the doctor still had issued her a pair of crutches just in case, which were now leaning against the wall furthest from her bed, as far away as possible so Rei wouldn't get any ideas to get out of bed before she was ready.

"Well, I'm a little sore, and I'm still sleepy from the anesthesia, but other than that, I feel fine. Maybe a little bored, but physically fine."

"Oh… If you're still tired, then maybe I should go," Minako said, starting to stand back up from her seat. "I'll let you get some more rest and come back later, okay?"

"No, you can stay, Minako-chan." Rei reached for the blonde's hand, stopping her from leaving. For some reason, she didn't want to be alone right now.

"Are you sure? Asada-sensei said he wanted you to rest, and if you aren't feeling up to a visit…"

"Don't be silly!" Rei exclaimed, forcing out a laugh. She felt a little silly herself, wanting Minako to stay with her like she was some small child afraid of the dark, but Rei couldn't deny her friend's presence was reassuring. She needed some of Minako's optimism more than ever right now. "I said I was fine. Besides, there's nothing for me to do here, and I doubt I'll be able to get much sleep until the transplant is finished. Please stay and keep me company. I insist."

"Well, if you insist…"

"Of course I do. Now, sit back down."

Following orders, Minako resumed her seat on the bed, some of her trademark cheerfulness fading away. Her baby blue eyes seemed sad somehow, and the soft smile on her face had changed to a small frown as she pressed her lips together, looking at Rei in quiet contemplation.

"What is it, Minako-chan?" Rei asked, noticing the change in her best friend and not particularly liking it. "If you're worried about me, I told you I was fine. You don't have to be concerned. I'll get plenty of rest later, after I know how ojii-san's transplant went. I promise."

"That's not it," Minako replied, leaning back on her hands as she shook her head of golden tresses. "I was just thinking about something Uchizawa-san and I were discussing in the waiting room before the nurse came in to tell us you were awake."

"You talked to my godfather?"

A faint tint of rosy pink colored the other girl's cheeks, causing one of Rei's eyebrows to arch. "Yeah, we had a nice conversation," Minako admitted. "He's a very kind man, you know, and very handsome…"

Rei groaned. She should have known, not that she could necessarily blame Minako. Even Rei had to admit Uchizawa Minoru was a very good-looking, charming man who undoubtedly had a way with women. She might not be very interested in the opposite sex, but she wasn't blind either. But still… "Don't tell me you have a crush on Uchizawa-san," she said. "He's old enough to be your father!"

The smile briefly reappeared. "I didn't say I did, Rei-chan, although if Uchizawa-san was a few years younger…"

Rei rolled her eyes at the innuendo, but decided to let it go, not particularly interested in what would happen if that were true. "So, what did you and Uchizawa-san talk about while you waited to see me?" she asked, getting back to the subject at hand.

"You, mostly," Minako answered. "And your father."

"Otou-sama?" Rei's eyes darkened significantly. "He isn't here, is he?"

"No."

"Good."

Cocking her head to the side, Minako frowned. "You didn't want Hino-sama to visit you, Rei-chan?"

"No, I didn't. Otou-sama doesn't even know about the transplant, unless Uchizawa-san told him about it, which I asked him not to do. I didn't tell him."

"But why not?"

"He doesn't care about us, so why should I? If I had informed him of this, otou-sama wouldn't have come anyway. It would have been a waste of a phone call to tell him."

"You don't know that for sure, do you? He might have come if you had asked him."

Rei huffed, a few fly-away strands of hair dancing in front of her face, and crossed her arms over her chest. What did Minako know? She had two parents who loved her with all their hearts. She had no idea what it was like to be completely ignored by the one person who was supposed to love her most, as if she were nothing more than a liability.

That was all she had ever been to her father - a liability. Rei understood that now. Her mother had been wrong. He had never loved her. To him, she was a legal responsibility, nothing more. All he had to do was keep her clothed, fed, and educated until her twentieth birthday and then good riddance, as far as he was concerned. As far as they were both concerned.

Who cared about love when you had money and power instead?

"I doubt it," Rei said bitterly.

"Rei-chan -"

"Believe me, it's better this way," she insisted, interrupting. "Otou-sama can't disappoint me when I don't give him the chance."

"But he also can't prove you wrong, can he?" Minako pointed out. "Look, I know Hino-sama's disappointed you a lot in the past. Uchizawa-san told me a little about it. But people can change, can't they? You certainly aren't the same person you were when I first met you almost four years ago. And Uchizawa-san says your father really is a good person at heart, just scared. I don't really understand what he was saying, but maybe if you give Hino-sama another chance and show him that love is nothing to be afraid of -"

"I gave him ten years to change, Minako-chan. Ten years!" Rei lowered her gaze, only then realizing she was gripping her blanket so tightly in anger, her knuckles had turned white. "He'll never change," she continued, her voice softer than before. "I used to think he would, but that was nothing but a childish dream. I'm nothing to otou-sama, and now, he is nothing to me. That's the way it is; I've accepted it."

"I see," Minako said, although Rei could tell she really didn't. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's okay," Rei assured her. "You didn't know, and you were only trying to help. Thanks."

"For what?"

Reaching for Minako's hand, Rei managed a small smile. "I might not have a father anymore, but I'll tell you the one thing I do have - the best sister in the whole wide world."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quietly, Miyuki untangled her fingers from Saburo's grip and stood, careful not to wake him. The transfer, which had ended about an hour ago, had been a success, and so far, there were no signs of rejection, although that didn't mean he was out of the woods yet. For now, Saburo was resting peacefully, so Miyuki decided she would check on Rei.

She headed to Rei's room down the hall after disposing of her protective scrubs and paused momentarily at the door when she saw Rei was not alone. Sitting in the chair beside her bed, where the dark-haired girl was sleeping, Minoru was busy looking over some papers, looking uncharacteristically serious with a pair of black reading glasses sliding down his nose.

"Nice glasses," she said in a whisper as she opened the door a little wider and slipped inside.

Minoru put aside his papers and glanced over at where Miyuki stood. "Oh, Miyuki, hello," he said softly with a small smile, taking off the glasses and placing them on top of his work. "They're only for reading," he explained. "I guess I'm not as young as I used to be…"

"They look good on you."

"Thanks," he said, gesturing toward the chair beside him. "Please, have a seat. How is Kondo-sama doing?"

Miyuki sat down, weary but glad to be able to relax. It had indeed been a very long day. "He's sleeping right now. So far, there have been no signs of rejection. Asada-sensei was very pleased with how well the transplant went."

"Rei-chan will be happy to hear that. She's been very worried about her grandfather. The doctor ended up giving her a sedative so that she would finally get some more sleep."

"I see."

Miyuki leaned forward in her seat to brush away a few strands of raven hair off of the sleeping Rei's face, struck by how much she looked like Takara just then, eyes closed and her alabaster skin even paler than usual. Poor girl…

"Rei-chan was very brave today, wasn't she?" Minoru asked. "Donating her bone marrow to save Kondo-sama's life?"

"Yes, she cares about her grandfather very much. He's practically the only family she has left, except for Keitaro-san. I don't know what will happen to her if Kondo-sama doesn't survive this. Kazuya and I will be her guardians, yes, but it's hardly the same…"

"Miyuki, don't think about that. You said yourself the transfer was a complete success. We have to hope for the best."

"I know you're right, but there's still a good chance that his body might reject Rei-chan's donor marrow. We can't assume this is all over on the basis of one success. You can keep your blind faith, Minoru-san, but for me, I'll wait until Kondo-sama is declared cured by the doctors and released from the hospital."

"Perhaps that is wise," Minoru said. "Truthfully, over the years, I've learned even the strongest hopes aren't always fulfilled. Don't get me wrong, I still believe in hoping for the best, but I'm no longer blind, as you say. All things happen for a reason, good or bad, and I have to believe in that now - not in hopes which can evaporate into thin air."

Miyuki frowned, unaccustomed to hearing Minoru sound so…adult. "I miss the eternally optimistic Minoru-san."

"Me, too." At that moment, Minoru reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his cell phone. She hadn't heard a ring, but Miyuki assumed he must have put it on vibrator mode to avoid waking Rei in case he received a call. "Excuse me, Miyuki," he said, standing. "This is probably the office. I've been expecting them to call, so I need to take it. Do you mind if I step outside for a few minutes?"

"No, it's fine. Take as long as you need."

"Thank you."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stepping outside Rei's room, Minoru silently closed the door behind him and headed to a nearby side hall that was virtually deserted except for a custodian mopping the floors for some privacy. He then flipped open the phone and brought it to his ear after pressing the appropriate button to accept the call.

"Mikage-kun, did you get those numbers finished?" he asked, not even bothering to ask who was calling, assuming, as he had told Miyuki, it was his office. "We really need to get on the ball with this. The presentation is only a week -"

"Minoru-kun, it's me," a voice that obviously did not belonged to his assistant said, interrupting before he could continue any further.

Minoru's eyes widened, surprised by the unexpected call from his best friend. "Keitaro?"

"I've just returned home from the office, and I thought I should call," Keitaro explained after a brief pause. "I assume things are going well since you never called me."

"Yes, the transplant was successful, and so far, things look good for Kondo-sama. The doctors are cautiously optimistic."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Minoru frowned. "Keitaro, you should be here. At least come for a visit tomorrow. It'll mean a lot to Rei-chan."

"I'm busy."

"The entire day? Surely you can spare ten minutes on your lunch break to come to the hospital or on your way home..."

"I said I was busy, Minoru-kun."

Minoru's free hand involuntarily curled into a fist at his side, angered at Keitaro's continued refusals to see Rei. He knew as well as Keitaro did that if he had wanted to come, he could have. His position as a Diet member kept him busy, yes, but Minoru doubted anybody would have minded if he took off a day or two. The only thing preventing Keitaro from coming to the hospital was himself.

"Dammit, Keitaro, I'm tired of this," Minoru growled, banging his fist against the wall behind him. "Rei-chan is your daughter. The least you could do is come check on her and Kondo-sama yourself instead of using me as your messenger boy. And don't give me this crap about being too busy. I didn't have to be here. I should be on a flight to Paris at this very moment, on my way to a meeting with the execs at Nintendo France, but I managed to have the meeting postponed so I could be here for Kondo-sama and Rei-chan."

"Well, I suppose you are a far better man than I am," Keitaro said.

"Why are you acting like this?" he demanded to know. "This is cold, even for you. I know you are not that heartless. You care about Rei-chan, even if you're too scared to admit it. I know you do, so don't even try to deny it, because I won't believe you."

Keitaro sighed. "It's complicated, Minoru-kun."

"What kind of an answer is that? How is this complicated? You are Rei-chan's father; she is your daughter. I think that is simple enough to understand. What I don't understand is why you will not come for a visit. I'm not asking for much here - a short visit with Rei-chan, maybe bring some nice flowers, and a quick hello to Kondo-sama. Is that too much to ask?"

There was a long pause before Keitaro finally answered, "Rei-san doesn't want me there."

"Did she tell you that?" Minoru asked, his voice losing some of its edge. "Is that why you decided not to come?"

"Not in so many words, no," he admitted. "But I think Rei-san made her feelings perfectly clear when she decided not to inform me of this transplant. I never would have known about it if you hadn't told me."

"And what if she had told you? Would you have come then?"

"Yes...no..." Keitaro sighed. "To be honest, I'm not sure."

"Why?"

"Minoru-kun, I don't want to talk about this right now," Keitaro said. "I only wanted to call to check on Rei-san and Kondo-sama, and now that I know they are fine, I have work to do. I'll talk to you again tomorrow."

"Will you come to the hospital?"

"If it means that much to you, I'll think about it. Goodnight, Minoru-kun."

"Wait, Keitaro -"

But by then Keitaro had already hung up the phone, the click echoing in his ears.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the Hino manor, Keitaro placed the phone back in its cradle upon his desk and sighed. Why had he even bothered to call Minoru, knowing any conversation they had about Rei was bound to turn into an argument? It was the same thing every time. Minoru seemed even more insistent than ever in his pursuit of a reconciliation between him and his daughter, a reconciliation Keitaro had little hope in seeing.

Ever since the day Rei came to his office and asked for a loan to pay for her grandfather's medical expenses, their relationship had gone from bad to worse. Communication between them was practically nonexistent, to the point that Minoru had to tell him of the transplant, and they hadn't seen each other face to face in over a year. Even on her seventeenth birthday, when Keitaro actually made a point of attending her special dinner at _The Rain Tree_ instead of cancelling or sending someone in his place as he usually did, it was Rei who had decided not to come, preferring instead to spend the evening with her friends.

To Keitaro, it appeared Rei had made her feelings toward him perfectly clear. She didn't want to see him, and Keitaro couldn't really blame her. Rather than forcing himself into Rei's life and risk alienating her even further, he decided to respect her wishes and stayed away. That was the real reason why he hadn't gone to the hospital. Maybe it might have been different if she'd asked him to come, but she hadn't. Rei hadn't even wanted him to know about the transplant.

Perhaps it was better that way, though. Keitaro didn't have the faintest idea of how a father was supposed to act in that kind of situation, and he suspected it was too late to learn. He'd probably make things worse anyway, although how that was even possible, he had no idea. Nor did he have any desire to find out.

 _Yes, it is better this way_ , he finally decided before getting to work on the papers he had brought home from the office, pushing all thoughts of his daughter out of his mind.

Wasn't it?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning found Rei worried and restless, anxious to see her grandfather. Earlier, she'd asked Dr. Asada if she might visit her grandfather when the doctor came to check on her, but for some reason, he had said "no" to her request, even though she was feeling much stronger than she had yesterday after her drug-induced sleep. Though she couldn't be sure, Rei had a feeling he was hiding something from her. She could usually sense when a person was lying to her, and the alarms were definitely sounding when Dr. Asada had told her there was nothing to worry about.

It didn't help matters that she had awoken to another one of her foreboding "feelings" stirring in the depths of her heart. At first, Rei had simply attributed it to waking in a strange, unfamiliar place, a natural reaction she'd experienced a couple of times before in the past. However, when the sensation lingered even after Rei realized she was still at the hospital, she began recognizing it for what it really was.

Something was wrong. Maybe not even the doctors could see it yet, but Rei was certain of it, and it was frustrating that she wasn't even allowed to see her grandfather.

"Why can't I visit him?" she growled, angrily hurling a magazine at the door.

Unfortunately, at that very second, the door chose to open, and instead of hitting its original target, the magazine slapped a pretty blonde in the face and fell to the ground.

"Geez, Rei-chan, if you didn't want to see me today, you could have just asked me to leave instead of pelting me with the latest issue of _Hana to Yume_ ," Minako said jokingly, bending down to retrieve the magazine and placing it in the large pink tote bag she had brought with her. "Wake up on the wrong side of the road this morning?"

Rei blushed. "Sorry, Minako-chan," she apologized. "I didn't realize you were there. Besides, haven't you ever heard of knocking before you enter somebody's room?"

"Hey, I thought you might still be sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you up if you were. Don't blame me for trying to be considerate. What's with the magazine missile anyway?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Rei lied. "I'm only a little frustrated, that's all. Asada-sensei still won't let me get out of bed and walk around. He said maybe later this afternoon, but until then, I'm going to be bored out of my mind."

Walking over to Rei's bed, Minako slid the tote bag off her shoulder and set it on Rei's lap. "Then I guess it is a good thing I brought this for you, isn't it?"

"What is it?"

"Look inside and find out."

Curious, Rei finished unzipping the half-opened bag and started going through the assortment of items inside. Minako had thought of almost everything. Her calligraphy supplies, needlework, tarot cards, some new manga… Minako had even thought to bring Yoshi and Hoshi, her two favorite teddy bears.

"Minako-chan, you didn't have to do this," Rei said, hugging her most cherished childhood toys close to her chest, both worn and ragged with age.

"Well, I figured you might you might be bored, being cooped up in here with nothing to do, so I went to Hikawa and packed up some things I thought you might like. Is there anything else you need? I'll be happy to go back and get whatever -"

Rei shook her head, setting aside the bears and finishing her exploration of the bag's contents. "No, it looks like you brought just about everything I could possibly want," she declared as she pulled out a couple of her textbooks, which were sitting at the bottom of the tote. Her eyebrow arched in Minako's direction. "Even my summer homework. Why do I get the feeling putting these in here wasn't exactly your idea?"

Laughing, Minako hopped on the edge of Rei's bed. "What makes you say that?" the blonde asked innocently.

"Oh, I don't know… Maybe because I know you too well, and the last thing on you mind during summer break is schoolwork."

Baby blue eyes rolled, but both girls knew Rei was right. "Okay, okay, so maybe the homework was Ami-chan's idea, the bag of cookies in the outside pocket from Mako-chan, and some of the manga borrowed from Usagi-chan, but I came up with the idea of the activity bag," Minako insisted.

"Well, no matter whose idea it was, it was very thoughtful of you all to do this for me. thanks, Minako-chan."

Smiling, Minako shrugged her shoulders. "It was nothing. We just wanted to cheer you up a little. I know you've been worried about your grandfather, so maybe keeping busy will get your mind off of things for a while."

Rei's eyes darkened at the mention of her grandfather, her brief happiness of seeing her best friend unable to make her forget the fear she had felt that morning. "Do you know how he's doing?" she asked Minako. "I asked Asada-sensei about ojii-san's condition, but he wouldn't tell me much."

Minako shook her head. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan. I'm not family, so nobody has told me anything. If you want to know how he is doing, you'll probably have to ask Uchizawa-san or that other woman. They might not be technically family, but the doctors seem to treat them as such. They're the only ones the doctors will talk to about his condition."

"Oh."

Disappointed, Rei leaned back against her pillows and sighed. She knew it had been a long shot, but she had hoped Minako might know something more about what was happening. Now it appeared she would have to wait until either Minoru or Miyuki came to visit before she found out the truth - that is, if they even decided to tell her the truth. She had a feeling not even those two would tell her what was really going on in some well-meaning, but misguided, effort to protect her.

As she half-listened to Minako's bubbly voice babble on about the latest pop idol or something silly like that in an attempt to change the subject, Rei hugged Yoshi tightly, burying her face in his soft fur.

Why couldn't people be honest with her?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I still think we should tell her, Miyuki. She deserves to know what is happening."

Across the table, Miyuki set down her chopsticks and sighed. All throughout breakfast in the crowded hospital cafeteria, the two of them had been arguing about the same thing - whether or not to tell Rei about the problems that had arose sometime during the middle of the night with Saburo's condition.

Saburo had developed a mild fever, prompting the doctors to suspect he might be rejecting the bone marrow. Luckily, the antibiotics they started giving him a couple of hours ago seemed to be working so far, but there were no guarantees.

"Minoru-san, I told you, this wasn't my decision," Miyuki repeated for about the tenth time that morning. "I agree with you. Rei-chan has a right to know what happened last night."

"Then why do you keep on insisting we don't?"

"Because Kondo-sama doesn't want Rei-chan to worry about him, and I am not about to go against his wishes, no matter what I personally think about the situation. Besides, Asada-sensei said Kondo-sama was doing better. We might worry Rei for nothing. You don't want to do that, do you?"

"No, that's the last thing I want to do," Minoru said, absentmindedly swirling around the last bite of his pancake in the golden maple syrup on his plate. "However, I don't like keeping Rei-chan in the dark about this, even if it is what Kondo-sama wants. I know he is trying to protect her, but what if something happens? She'll never forgive us for not telling her."

"I suppose that is a risk we'll just have to take then. We can't betray his wishes," Miyuki insisted. "But, if you want, I'll try to talk to Kondo-sama again if I can and convince him to let us tell Rei-chan what happened."

Minoru frowned, but it really was the best they could do. Neither of them wanted to break their promise. "Fine, try that," he said, placing his trash back on his tray as he began to stand.

"Where are you going?"

The redhead patted his pants pocket. "Outside. I have to make some phone calls," he explained. "I'll be back in a few minutes, unless you are finished in here."

Miyuki glanced down at her half-eaten breakfast, her appetite gone. She hadn't been very hungry in the first place. "No, I'm done," she announced, gathering her own trash and following Minoru to the disposal. "In fact, I think I'll go talk to Kondo-sama now and see how he is doing."

"Okay, then I'll see you up there. Bye."

Waving goodbye to Minoru, Miyuki left the cafeteria and went up to Saburo's room. Dr. Asada was just finishing an examination when she came in.

"Oh, Asada-sensei, how is he?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

"Better. His fever has gone down some, and the antibiotics appear to be working."

"Thank goodness," Miyuki said, letting out a relieved sigh. "Does that mean Kondo-sama is out of the woods?"

"It's a good sign, but I am reluctant to say any more than that," the doctor explained, placing Saburo's chart back in the bin at the foot of the bed. "There are no guarantees."

"I understand, sensei. Is it okay if I stay for a few minutes? I won't be long."

"Of course, but keep it short. The patient needs his rest."

"I will. Arigatou."

After the doctor left, Miyuki took a seat in the chair beside the bed and reached for Saburo's wrinkled hand. A smile touched the old man's lips as he turned his head toward her. "Miyuki-chan…"

"Hey, I hear you are getting better," she said. "That's great."

"So they say."

"You gave us quite a scare, Kondo-sama. We've been worried sick."

"We?" he repeated, alarmed. "You haven't told Rei-chan, have you?"

Miyuki shook her head. "Of course not. You asked me not to tell her what happened, so I didn't."

"Good."

"But now that the doctors have gotten your fever under control, perhaps it's time we did," she suggested, remembering what she and Minoru had discussed over breakfast. "I think Rei-chan deserves to know what is going on. After all, it is her bone marrow you received."

"No, you can't," Saburo said, his grasp on her hand tightening. "I don't want Rei-chan to worry. Please don't tell her, please."

"Kondo-sama…"

Miyuki sighed, wishing there was a way she could convince him otherwise. While she understood why Saburo didn't want his granddaughter to know, Miyuki couldn't help but feel guilty about keeping Rei in the dark. She had a right to know there was a possibility that his body might be rejecting the marrow.

"Are you sure?" Miyuki asked one last time.

"I know you don't like it, but this is what I want. I'm asking you to respect my wishes, Miyuki-chan."

"Fine," she agreed, reluctantly. Standing from her chair, Miyuki smiled and gave his hand a final squeeze. "Get some rest, Kondo-sama. I'll be back later."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the fact it was mid-summer, a cool breeze greeted Minoru as he stepped outside the hospital, providing some welcome relief from the sweltering heat. Letting the glass door close behind him, he slipped off the olive blazer he wore, finding it a little too stuffy to continue wearing in the warm weather, and took a seat on a nearby bench. Minoru then pulled out his cell phone and began dialing a number.

His first two calls were business-related, the first to reschedule a meeting he'd forgotten was supposed to be held later that day and the second to one of his assistants to check on things at the office. Once those two things were taken care of, Minoru dialed Keitaro's number, hoping he could somehow convince Keitaro to come to the hospital. They hadn't ended things well between them last night, but Minoru was almost positive if Keitaro hadn't hung up on him, he might have actually been able to talk him into coming for at least a short visit.

"Come on, Keitaro, pick up the phone," Minoru muttered impatiently, his foot bobbing up and down as he listened to the phone ringing on the other end. "I know you're there. You don't have to be at work for another hour…"

The phone rang a full twenty times before Minoru finally decided it was a lost cause and hung up.

"Damn," he cursed, dialing Keitaro's office number on the off chance he had decided to go in early that day. It wouldn't have been the first time he had done so.

However, Minoru only reached the answering machine, Miss Katsuki's dull voice lifelessly reciting office hours before the long, drawn out beep signaled him to leave a message. At first, Minoru wasn't going to leave a message, preferring to speak to Keitaro himself, but as he moved his finger to end the call, Minoru figured he might as well. It might be the only time he would be able to get a hold of him.

He brought the phone back to his ear. "Keitaro, it's me, Minoru. You're probably going to kill me for leaving a personal message on this thing, but we need to talk about last night. Things aren't looking as good for Kondo-sama as we originally thought, and I think you really ought to be here. Call me back on my cell, or better yet, come down to the hospital. You'll probably find either me or Miyuki somewhere on the oncology floor. Please get in touch with me somehow. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Finished with his message, Minoru hung up and flipped the cell phone close. He hoped Keitaro would at least call him back, although Minoru had little hope of him doing so. His best friend was probably avoiding his phone calls; that's what he usually did whenever the two of them had a disagreement.

Minoru rolled his eyes. And some people called him the immature one.

With his business done, he decided to go back inside, gathering his discarded blazer and sliding his cell phone back into his pocket. However, before he could open the door, the phone rang, the programmed _Super Mario Bros_. ring tone causing a few nearby strangers to exchange amused looks. Minoru forgot about heading inside and fumbled for the phone once again to answer.

"Keitaro?" he answered. "That was fast."

On the other end of the line, a decidedly feminine voice laughed. "Keitaro? That was fast," the woman repeated dryly. "Good morning to you, too, Minoru."

A soft smile breaking on his lips, Minoru leaned his back against one of the brick walls making up the exterior of the hospital. "Oh, Jakakuerine, it's you," he said. "Sorry about that. I left Keitaro a message at his office to call me back a couple of minutes ago, and I thought he might be returning my call."

"That's okay," she assured him, sighing. "I missed seeing you this morning, though."

"I know. I'm sorry I left so early, but I wanted to be at the hospital as soon as possible."

"I understand. How are Kondo-sama and Hino-san doing?"

"Rei-chan is doing remarkably well. Asada-sensei says she might even be released from the hospital tomorrow if she feels strong enough. Kondo-sama, however, developed a fever sometime last night, and the doctors fear it might be a sign he is rejecting the donor marrow."

"Oh, no, Minoru… Is there anything they can do?"

"Well, right now, they're giving him some antibiotics, which seem to be working at the moment, so that's good. We've all got our fingers crossed."

"So do I," she declared. "I know how much Hino-san and her grandfather mean to you, so anybody who is important to you is important to me."

"Thank you, Jakakuerine. That means a lot to me."

"So, did you at least get some breakfast?" she asked, changing the subject. In the background, Minoru could faintly hear the sound of something sizzling on the stove, and even though he had just eaten, his stomach rumbled. Jacqueline was a fantastic cook.

"Yeah, Miyuki and I grabbed something in the cafeteria. Nothing compared to your cooking, but decent."

"Miyuki?" she repeated. "Would this be the same Miyuki you've been in love with for the past twenty years?"

"Um…yes," Minoru answered cautiously, not sure how Jacqueline would take the news that he had been spending time with his former love, no matter how innocent it might be. Jacqueline never struck him as the type to get green-eyed over something like that, but there was no telling how she would react, especially considering the circumstances.

"Hmm, is that so?" she asked in a voice he couldn't exactly read. "Should I be jealous?"

"N-No, no, of course not! I mean, yes, I still care about her, you know that, but we're just good friends. Miyuki and I were finished a long time ago. Actually, we never had the chance to really begin. Hell, we never even slept togeth- Hey, what's so funny?"

Jacqueline's musical laughter on the other end, interrupting his ramblings, caused him to scowl. "Oh, Minoru, you are so adorable when you think you're in trouble," she lightly teased. "You didn't honestly think I was jealous, did you? I know I can trust you."

"Very funny," he sighed, though inwardly, Minoru was glad she was fine with the whole thing.

"You know, I really ought to meet the infamous Watanabe Miyuki-san someday. I'd love to -" She paused, mumbling something that sounded like " _Pas maintenant, chouchou. Maman a la téléphone_ ," to somebody else.

Minoru's smile returned, knowing that if she was speaking in French, there was only one person she could have been speaking to. "Is that Angelique?" he asked.

" _Oui_ , she's getting ready for day care. Do you want to talk to her for a couple of minutes? I need to finish braiding her hair, and I'm afraid I can't do it with only one hand."

"Sure, put her on."

He heard Jacqueline hand the phone over to the little girl he considered his own in everything but name and blood, and a few moments later, Angelique's sweet voice sung over the line. "Minoru-papa? Is that you?"

"Hey, Tenshi-chan," Minoru said, his voice full of affection as he called Jacqueline's daughter by his special pet name for her. "Sorry I wasn't able to see you this morning."

"That's okay. _Maman_ told me why. One of your friends is really sick in the hospital. Is he going to get better?"

"I hope so."

"I hope so, too," the little girl said, surprisingly compassionate despite her young age. "I'll wish really hard that he does. I promise!"

Touched, Minoru's face softened. Too bad it wasn't that easy. The world would be a much happier place if selfless wishes, like Angelique's, all came true.

"You're a sweet girl, Tenshi-chan. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Yes, but thank you for saying so," she replied, ever the polite five-year-old. "Um, Minoru-papa, will I see you tonight? It's your turn to read my bedtime story, and tonight's the last chapter."

Reminded of that fact, Minoru sighed, rubbing his forehead with his free hand. He had completely forgotten tonight was his turn to partake in the nightly ritual, and he was afraid he probably wouldn't make it home from the hospital before Angelique's bedtime. She was accustomed to it when he was away on business trips, but Minoru always hated disappointing her, especially when he knew she was looking forward to the end of the Japanese fairy tale he was reading to her.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," he apologized. "I probably won't be home until really late tonight, so _Maman_ will have to read you another chapter of _Le Petit Prince_ instead. We'll finish our story some other time."

"Oh." Minoru could sense the disappointment in her voice, so soft and free of its usual energy, and it caused a pang of regret in his chest. "That's okay. I understand…"

"No, it's not. I know how much you were looking forward to the last chapter."

"I can wait a little while longer. You should be with your friend. We'll finish it later."

"Are you sure? You're not mad at me?"

Angelique giggled. "Of course not! I could never be mad at you, Minoru-papa!"

"Thanks, Tenshi-chan," he said, relieved that she was being so mature about the whole thing. Minoru promised himself he would make it up to her, though. "Now, let me talk to _Maman_ again. I'll call you later to say goodnight, okay? I promise."

"Okay! _Salut_!"

With that cheerful goodbye, the phone was passed back to Jacqueline.

"She isn't too upset about me not being able to read her the bedtime story tonight, is she?" Minoru asked once his lover came back on the line.

"No, it's fine, _chéri_. Angelique understands you need to be with Kondo-sama and Hino-san right now. She's probably already over it already. Five-year-olds aren't known for holding grudges for too long."

"I know, but I still feel bad about it. This parenting business is harder than I thought it would be. I don't know if I'm ready."

"Well, you better get ready, mister," Jacqueline teased. "It's already a little too late to start changing your mind now. That reminds me, I have an appointment with Honda-sensei this morning, so I'll be dropping by the hospital."

"Nothing's wrong, is it?" Minoru asked, alarmed by the news.

"No, nothing other than the nausea I've been having, but that's perfectly normal. It's just a routine check-up. I'll probably be out of there in fifteen minutes tops, excluding the hour I'll probably have to sit in the waiting room."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"That's not really necessary, Minoru. Like I said, it's just routine."

"But I told you I wanted to be there for everything, big or small," he reminded her. "Besides, it'll give me the chance to see you. I'll meet you there, and afterwards, we'll have an early lunch in the cafeteria."

"Oh, you're not having lunch with your secret mistress?"

Minoru shook his head, but there was a mildly amused smile on his lips. She was enjoying this a tad too much. "Jakakuerine…"

"Fine," she agreed. "I'll see you at around ten, then."

"Great. I'll be looking forward to it."

They said goodbye, and after flipping the cell phone closed, Minoru placed it back in his pocket, smiling to himself as he thought about Jacqueline, Angelique, and everything he had to be grateful for. It was times like these Minoru realized how lucky he was. A great job, a devoted girlfriend who would soon be so much more, and a little girl he loved as much as if she were his own… It was everything he had ever hoped and dreamed to have.

Minoru only wished Keitaro could experience that same happiness.

"Maybe I should try calling him again," Minoru mused to himself as he glanced down at his watch. Keitaro would most likely be at the office by now.

However, remembering the message he had left on the machine, Minoru decided he would wait a while longer to give him the chance to call back on his own. If Keitaro wanted to talk to him, he knew where to look.

With a final heavy sigh, Minoru headed back inside the hospital.

_Please call, Keitaro._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Keitaro, it's me, Minoru. You're probably going to kill me for leaving a personal message on this thing, but we need to talk about last night. Things aren't looking as good for Kondo-sama as we originally thought, and I think you really ought to be here. Call me back on my cell, or better yet, come down to the hospital. You'll probably find either me or Miyuki somewhere on the oncology floor. Please get in touch with me somehow. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Reaching for the appropriate button on the answering machine, Keitaro erased the message after listening to it for a second time. He had to hand it to Minoru. The guy was nothing if not persistent. Keitaro thought he had made it quite clear the night before that he had no desire to see his daughter when she obviously didn't want to see him, but as always, Minoru couldn't leave well enough alone.

Still, Keitaro quite unexpectedly found himself staring at the phone in front of him, a silent debate running through his head. If Saburo had indeed taken a turn for the worst, the least he owed him was a call to check on his condition. They might not have had the best relationship in the world, but Keitaro bore Takara's father no ill will and wished Saburo all the best in his fight against leukemia. However, if he did call Minoru back, Keitaro knew exactly what would happen. Minoru would try to convince him to come to the hospital to see Rei, and that simply was not going to happen.

Rei didn't want to see him. Keitaro had accepted that.

So why couldn't Minoru?

"Because Minoru is Minoru, and he is a stubborn fool," Keitaro muttered, answering his own question as the door to his office opened.

"Hino-sama? Your first meeting of the day is scheduled for fifteen minutes," Miss Katsuki announced, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Meeting?" Keitaro blinked, momentarily confused as he looked to the door. "Oh, yes, the meeting with the Yoshiki-san. Of course."

The dowdy secretary, unaccustomed to her boss acting so strangely, regarded him with a concerned look. "Is something wrong, Hino-sama?"

"No, it's nothing. Send Yoshiki-san in as soon as he gets here."

"Yes, sir." Miss Katsuki bowed and walked out the room, surprised when not more than two minutes later, Keitaro exited the office as well, his blazer flung over his arm. "Hino-sama?"

"Change of plans," he announced, pulling the blazer back on. "Cancel my appointment with Yoshiki-san, as well as everything else for the next couple of hours. I want my schedule cleared."

"Cleared? Sir, is there some sort of problem?" the dumbfounded secretary asked, her lightning-fast fingers lifting from her computer keyboard when she heard the news. "I don't understand…"

"I'm taking the morning off."

Dull brown eyes widened. "But, sir -"

"Katsuki-kun, please cancel and reschedule my appointments," Keitaro repeated before she could finish as he headed to the door. "I will be back after lunch."

The secretary still didn't seem to know what to make of what was happening, but finally nodded just as Keitaro left.

"Yes, sir."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reaching Rei's room, Keitaro lightly knocked, suddenly feeling very nervous as he waited outside. The bouquet of Casablanca lilies in his left hand shook, and his throat had become as dry as a desert. Every single instinct in his body seemed to be telling him he should forget about seeing Rei and leave, yet somehow he found the courage to stay, quietly opening the door when his daughter failed to answer.

"Rei-san? It's your father," he announced in a soft voice upon seeing the raven-haired girl laying on the hospital bed, her face turned away from the door. "May I come in?"

Again, there was no answer, so Keitaro hesitantly stepped inside, realizing with some relief that his daughter was asleep. He set the bouquet of flowers, placed inside a beautiful crystal vase, on the table beside Rei's bed and took a seat on the plastic chair nearby.

"H-Hello, Rei-san," Keitaro began, leaning slightly forward in his chair, one hand resting on the edge of the mattress while the other remained in his lap. "I hope you don't mind me coming to see you. I know you didn't want me to know about the transplant for whatever reason, but Minoru-san told me anyway. Don't blame him. He thought I should come see you, even though you made it quite clear you didn't want to see me." He paused, thinking of the irony. "I suppose it is a good thing you are asleep after all, isn't it?" Keitaro mused, a rueful smile on his face as he gazed at his daughter's closed eyes.

As to be expected, Rei didn't reply, her chest rising and falling as she continued to doze peacefully, completely unaware of his presence in her room. Sighing, Keitaro took his hand off the mattress and leaned back in the uncomfortable chair.

"I bought you some flowers," he continued after a short pause. "Casablanca lilies. I seem to remember Kaidou-san telling me one time that they were your favorite. He bought you a bouquet of them in my name for your birthday a few years back, didn't he?" Thinking about his former assistant, Keitaro frowned. "Kaidou-san still asks about you sometimes, whenever we see each other. You know, I still don't understand what happened between you two that night you called me, asking about his engagement to Nozumo-san. Did he hurt you somehow? I can't imagine Kaidou-san intentionally hurting anyone, much less you, but… Well, that's in the past. There's no need to dredge up bad memories, right?"

Keitaro smiled awkwardly, knowing full well he was babbling. How ironic that someone like him, considered to be one of the best orators in the world of Japanese politics today, could become as incoherent as a baby while simply talking to his own sleeping daughter. He might have laughed at his own inability had he not feared Rei would hear him and awaken.

Who would have thought this would be so hard?

Hesitantly reaching for her nearby hand, he continued after taking a few minutes to regroup his thoughts, still occasionally stuttering and fumbling over the words but growing more confident as he went along.

"Um… I guess what I really wanted to say is that I'm proud of you, Rei-san. It was a very brave thing you did, donating your bone marrow to your grandfather… I'm sure Kondo-sama appreciates it very much. I hear he's not doing very well at the moment, but he has good doctors on his case, some of the best in Tokyo… He'll recover quickly, I hope… I pray you'll never have to go through what I did… Did I ever tell you about my uncle Wataru-san, your great-uncle? No, probably not… He died of cancer, lung cancer, when I was a couple of years older than you… Back then, cancer was pretty much a death sentence. The doctors never gave him any hope. They just didn't have the range of resources or treatments that are available today… Things are better now. Kondo-sama has a good chance of surviving… For your sake, I hope he does. Minoru-san has told me how close you two have gotten…"

Keitaro stopped then, slowly releasing the loose grip he had on Rei's fingers. He needed to go before either Minoru or Miyuki came back from lunch or Rei finally woke up. It would be better if nobody knew he had been there. Rei probably wouldn't be too thrilled to learn he had visited her after she had gone through so much trouble to keep the transplant a secret from him. So, silently, he stood from his seat in the plastic chair and took one last look at his daughter, hesitating a long moment before he finally leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips against her forehead.

"I…uh… Goodbye, Rei-san."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minoru, having just finished going to lunch with Jacqueline and checking on Saburo's condition, headed back to Rei's room, figuring it was about time she awakened from her nap. The poor girl was probably bored again since Miyuki had left to pick up her family from the station and Minako had decided to go gather up the rest of their friends for a visit. He came to the door, expecting to hear nothing but silence, but was surprised when he heard someone talking through the small crack left by the unclosed door.

 _Who is that?_ Minoru wondered, recognizing the muffled voice as belonging to a man. The only male visitor Rei had received so far was him. Minoru automatically eliminated the possibility of Miyuki's husband, because he knew for a fact that they had yet to arrive at the hospital. Perhaps it was one of her friends' boyfriends? But it seemed strange that he didn't hear any women's voices. If the voice belonged to Chiba Mamoru or Tenoh Haruka, who he had met earlier that morning, he would have expected Tsukino Usagi or Kaioh Michiru to be in there too. Maybe it was the doctor?

His curiosity got the best of him, and Minoru opened the door a little wider, barely managing to hold back a gasp of surprise when he saw who the mystery visitor was. The man was facing away from the door, but Minoru recognized his blond hair and fancy business suit almost immediately.

It was Keitaro.

He had come.

Minoru honestly could not believe his eyes. At best, when he had left the message on the answering machine earlier that morning, he thought Keitaro might decide to call him back if he was lucky. He had asked Keitaro to come down to the hospital if he could, of course, but Minoru never actually believed he would, at least not without a little more prompting on his part. This was a wonderful turn of events.

Not wanting to spoil the private moment between father and daughter, Minoru simply stood by the door, a soft smile on his face as he watched Keitaro take Rei's hand and start to speak to her again. He realized then that she must have been still asleep, but not even that fact lessened the joy he felt in his heart. It was enough just to see the two of them together in the same room.

How long ago had it been since that had last happened?

Minoru didn't even remember. Years, probably.

Keitaro didn't stay much longer after he arrived, but it was enough to satisfy Minoru. Hearing his friend's voice abruptly drop off, Minoru quickly hid behind a large potted plant in the hallway, not wanting Keitaro to know he had been spying on him. Moments later, Keitaro emerged from the room and left with not even a glance in his direction. Minoru breathed a sigh of relief, and after a couple of minutes had passed, returned to the room.

"Hey, beautiful," Minoru said, knocking on the door as he peeped inside. "Are you awake yet?"

She wasn't, but as soon as Rei heard his voice, her violet eyes fluttered opened, and she smiled. "Uchizawa-san, hi," she greeted him, struggling a little to sit up in bed. "Yes, I'm awake. Come in. Was I sleeping long?"

"No, only for an hour or so, I think. I just came back from lunch."

"I guess I'm more lethargic from the bone marrow donation than I expected to be," she said sheepishly. "I usually don't fall asleep in the middle of the day like that. Either that, or the boredom finally got to me."

Minoru chuckled. "Well, it's to be expected, Rei-chan. The doctors want you to get plenty of rest so your body can heal and build up its defenses again."

"I know, but I'll be glad to finally be able to get out of bed again." Rei nodded toward the flowers. "Did you bring me these flowers? They're beautiful. Casablanca lilies are my favorites."

Minoru hadn't even noticed the beautiful white blossoms, an obviously expensive arrangement placed in a crystal vase, until she pointed them out on the table. He certainly hadn't bought them, and he knew Miyuki hadn't either, leaving only one other possibility since he doubted her friends had that kind of money to spend on flowers, with the exception of her older friends who had already brought her a bouquet of yellow roses when they briefly visited.

"No, I didn't. Somebody else did," he said.

"Who?" she asked, reaching for the vase to inhale the lilies' perfume. "I don't see a card anywhere. Was it Watanabe-san? One of the girls?"

"They're from your father, Rei-chan."

"Oh." Speechless for a moment, Rei put the vase back on the table and stared down at her hands, collecting her thoughts. "I guess you told him about the transplant then."

"I'm sorry," Minoru apologized. "Keitaro is your father. I thought he had a right to know."

"It's okay. It doesn't really matter anymore, anyway," Rei said, regarding the lilies with a look of disdain. "Flowers, huh? I suppose that was to be expected, getting his secretary to send me some expensive bouquet instead of coming to see me himself."

"Rei-chan, that wasn't -"

"Well, I don't want his flowers," she declared, taking the vase of lilies and throwing it into the trash can near her bed. The sound of crystal shattering caused Minoru to involuntarily flinch. "I don't want anything from him. It's bad enough we have to use his money to pay for ojii-san's hospital bills. If otou-sama thinks he can buy my affection, he's wrong."

"Rei-chan…"

Minoru wanted to tell her the truth, that Keitaro had come to visit her, but he hesitated upon the sight of the broken lilies sticking out from the top of the small trash bin, a few of the delicate white petals damaged and falling ungracefully on the floor. He had never seen his goddaughter act so harshly… Not knowing whether it would be better to tell her, or if it would only make things worse, Minoru bit his lip and decided to keep quiet about Keitaro's secret visit while Rei was sleeping. Instead he took a seat in the vacated plastic chair beside her hospital bed and let out a discreet sigh that Rei didn't seem to notice.

"How is ojii-san?" Rei asked after a couple of minutes of awkward silence between them, her violet eyes staring blankly ahead.

"Kondo-sama… Kondo-sama is fine, Rei-chan," Minoru lied, grateful for the fact that Rei wasn't facing him at the moment. If she had been, she might have noticed him briefly closing his eyes before answering, reminding himself that was what Saburo wanted.

As it turned out, though, he failed to completely escape detection. Hearing that, Rei turned her head back toward his direction, staring at Minoru with a mixture of sadness and disappointment. "Why are you lying to me, Uchizawa-san?" she asked softly.

Minoru should have known he could never get away with lying to the perceptive teen. Ever since she was a little girl, Rei could always sense when something was wrong.

"Lying to you?" he repeated, rubbing the back of his neck. "What makes you think I'm doing that?"

"Please don't deny it. You're not that great of an actor," Rei said. "Just tell me the truth. Something happened last night, didn't it?"

"Rei-chan, I-I…"

"I'm not a child anymore, Uchizawa-san. Nobody has to protect me from this. We all knew there was a possibility the transplant wouldn't work going into this. Is that what happened? Did ojii-san's body reject my bone marrow?"

"It hasn't yet, but Asada-sensei thinks it might be a definite possibility," Minoru finally admitted. "Kondo-sama developed a mild fever last night."

"Is he okay?"

"For the moment, he's fine, Rei-chan. They're giving him antibiotics to fight the infection, and they appear to be working."

Tossing off her blankets, Rei threw her legs over the side of her bed and sat up. "I want to see him," she demanded.

"But -"

"Please, Uchizawa-san, don't. Hand me those crutches over there. I am going to see my grandfather whether the doctors like it or not, so you might as well help me."

Sighing in defeat, Minoru rose from his chair and grabbed the pair of crutches leaning against the wall behind him. "Are you sure you feel up to this, Rei-chan?" he asked, holding the crutches just out of her reach. "You're still sore from the operation, and Asada-sensei said you were supposed to be taking it easy for a couple of days."

"I feel fine," she insisted with a forced smile. "Almost as good as new."

The brief flicker of pain that passed across her face as Rei slid off the bed proved otherwise, but knowing nothing he could say would make his goddaughter change her mind about visiting Saburo, Minoru reluctantly gave her the crutches and went to open the door.

"Okay, let's go."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kondo-sama?"

Weakly, Saburo turned his head toward the door, where he saw Minoru standing in the doorway, dressed in the familiar green scrubs. "Uchizawa-san, how nice to see you again," Saburo said hoarsely, managing a small smile. "Come in, come in. I'm afraid I'm not much company at the moment, but…"

"Actually, you have another visitor," Minoru announced. "I don't think I should stay."

"Another visitor? Who? I thought Miyuki-chan went to the train station to meet her family. I wasn't expecting her back until later."

Behind Minoru, a young woman with purple eyes hobbled up on a pair of crutches. "It's me, ojii-san."

"Rei-chan?"

"I'm sorry, Kondo-sama," Minoru apologized. "I know you made us promise not to tell her about the fever…"

"No, no, it's fine, Uchizawa-san," Saburo assured him, sighing. "Rei-chan, come in."

Minoru moved out of the way to allow Rei entrance to the room, and once she was settled in the chair beside Saburo's bed, crutches propped up against the foot, turned to leave. "I'll give you two some time alone," he said. "If either of you need anything, I'll be right outside the door. All you have to do is yell."

"Thanks."

After the redhead left, Saburo turned his head toward his silent granddaughter. Rei had yet to say anything more after announcing her presence, and he could sense she was upset with him for not allowing her to be told what had happened.

"Rei-chan, you look like you are doing well," Saburo said cautiously, breaking the silence between them. "I didn't expect you to be out of bed so soon. How are you feeling? You're not in too much pain, I hope. I know the doctor said you would probably be a little sore for a few days."

"I'm fine, ojii-san," she replied curtly, "but why did you have Uchizawa-san and everybody else lie to me about your condition? I should have been told about the fever sooner."

"I didn't want to worry you, little one. Besides, I'm doing better now. The doctors have been pumping me with medicine, and from what they've been telling me, it seems to be working. It's nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about? You could have died!" Rei exclaimed. "There's still a chance you will. Don't take this thing so lightly."

"I'm not," he insisted. "Believe me, I know better than anyone how serious this is, but I don't want you to worry about me."

"Ojii-san…"

The teen reached for his hand, gripping it tightly in her grasp, as her violet eyes became misty with what looked to be tears. Her reaction surprised Saburo, who was accustomed to the Rei who usually hid her emotions behind a mask. He wiped away a teardrop that rolled down her cheek, his heart heavy with the knowledge of what it was doing to his beloved granddaughter.

"You're crying," he declared hoarsely. "What happened to my strong, little Rei-chan, the person who always gives me strength?"

Rei turned her head away, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her scrubs. "She's gone, ojii-san. She's not so strong anymore. Maybe she never was."

"Oh, that's not true. She may be a little scared right now, but even the bravest men alive are afraid of something."

"But I was so afraid of losing you," she admitted. "I-I had the most horrible feeling when I woke up this morning, but since nobody would tell me what was wrong, I started imagining what it could be…"

"…and you automatically thought the worst," Saburo said, completing her sentence.

Saburo realized then the error of his decision to keep Rei in the dark about his condition. Instead of sparing her, it had only made things worse. He never intended to make her cry, yet here she was, wiping back her tears.

"Oh, Rei-chan, I'm so sorry," he apologized. "You're right. I should have had somebody tell you what had happened. I never even considered the possibility that not knowing would be worse than if you had known the truth. I just didn't want you to worry…"

"I know, but you can't protect me. I don't want you to protect me from this. It's my bone marrow inside you, and I deserve to know how it is working. Promise me you won't hide this from me anymore. Promise!"

Her voice nearly shook with emotion, making it difficult to refuse Rei's modest request. "Okay, I promise," Saburo said. "No more secrets."

"Thank you." She gave him a small smile before finally releasing the grip on his hand. "So, are you really feeling better?" Rei asked. "You're not just saying that?"

Nodding, Saburo struggled to sit himself up in the bed, hoping he didn't look as weak as he felt. The antibiotics might have been working their medical magic, but he still wasn't quite up to his full strength yet. "I'm fine, Rei-chan," he insisted. "Just a little tired, that's all."

"I'm glad," she said, wiping away the last of her tears. "I'm so, so glad!"

"Me, too, little one. Me, too."

They smiled at each other, and for the first time since he had been admitted to the hospital, Saburo felt truly at peace, a serenity coming over him that was usually reserved for when he meditated in front of the sacred fire. In fact, he could sense his whole body warming up, the flames of an unseen fire wrapping around him. He felt relaxed as he slowly laid back down and closed his eyes, imagining he was home…

…back home at Hikawa.

He could see it, as real as if he were there himself. Saburo's senses were alive as he entered the prayer room, the cackling of the burning fire like music to his ears after days of listening to the steady beeps and hums that made up the hospital's symphony. He welcomed the woodsy musk as the inferno consumed the log he threw in and reveled in the heat, perspiration mixing with tears of joy.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen," he chanted, kneeling in front of the fire.

The flames grew even taller in response, and the room's temperature began steadily rising, but Saburo was only vaguely aware of the change. His dark eyes focused only the bright yellow, oranges, and reds in front of him, and as he watched, an image started to take shape - a circle with an arrow attached. Saburo recognized the sign as the astrological symbol of the red planet and gasped, somehow finally realizing what it meant.

"Mars…" he whispered hoarsely. "Sailor Mars…"

In the background, he heard somebody say, "Ojii-san? W-What are you talking about?" but Saburo ignored it, entranced by the beauty of the fire - her power. How appropriate that his little fire mistress would wield such a power. Rei always did have a special bond with the sacred fire, and now he knew why. The pieces had finally fallen into place.

Rei was Sailor Mars.

With that revelation, the sacred fire exploded and Saburo jumped back, only barely missing being torched by the erratic flames. The heat by then was hard to ignore, and no longer was it a source of comfort. He was sweating profusely, and his vision had grown blurry as he struggled to crawl to the door underneath the smoke.

"Fire… Hikawa's on fire… Somebody save Hikawa…" he mumbled, collapsing on the wooden floor, too weak to continue moving. "Save Hikawa… Please…"

"Ojii-san, wake up!" a girl ordered, her voice a distant echo in the back of his mind. Vaguely, Saburo was aware of somebody lightly shaking him. "You're dreaming. You're having a nightmare. Open your eyes. Please, ojii-san!"

"No… You have to get out of here… Hikawa's on fire… It's too late for me… Save yourself…"

"Uchizawa-san! Something's wrong!" Rei yelled, struggling to reach for her crutches and stand.

"What is it, Rei-chan?" the redhead man asked, the door swinging open. As promised, he had waited outside in case they needed him. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Ojii-san started talking strangely, like he didn't know where he was anymore. He isn't making any sense. I don't understand. What's happening to him? He's supposed to be getting better."

"His fever must have returned," Minoru guessed, his face grim. "He's delirious. I'm going to go find the doctor. You stay here "

"Okay."

Minoru left to find Dr. Asada as Rei hobbled back over to the side of the bed, leaning over Saburo to place a cool hand on his forehead. He didn't understand what was happening, but whatever it was, he knew it was bad by the look on her face.

"Takara, what's wrong?" he asked, struggling to get up. "Something's happened, hasn't it? Where is Hikawa? Why aren't we there? It burnt down, didn't it? Oh, no…"

"Ojii-san, please calm down," the teen pleaded, doing her best to hold him down. "Hikawa is fine. Uchizawa-san went to find Asada-sensei. They'll be here in a couple of minutes."

"A doctor? We don't need a doctor at a time like this, Takara. We need a firefighter. Somebody save Hikawa. The sacred fire… It's out of control… Mars… It feels so hot, Takara…"

"Please stop talking like that, ojii-san!" Rei cried. "You're scaring me. I'm Rei, your granddaughter. Remember? Takara-san died a long time ago. She's gone."

Saburo refused to believe it, unable to see anybody but his precious daughter in the tear-streaked face of the girl standing beside his be. "Takara, don't be silly," he scolded, though with smile. "You're too young to have given me a granddaughter yet. Stop playing games. You're making me feel old before my time."

"I'm not! Ojii-san, don't you remember me at all? I came to live with you at Hikawa after okaa-sama died. Otou-sama didn't want to raise me, so you offered to take me in."

"You always did have a wild imagination, Takara…"

"Ojii-san!"

By that time, the door had opened again, and in came a doctor along with a nurse and Minoru. "Rei-chan, let's go wait outside," the red-haired man said, walking over to gently guide her to the exit. "The doctor needs to examine him. We'll just be in the way."

"No, I don't want to leave," the teen protested, swatting Minoru's hand away. "I can't leave. I want to know what is happening to him. Why is he acting like this? He doesn't even know who I am anymore. He keeps on calling me by my mother's name and says the shrine is burning…"

Again, Minoru reached out to Rei, this time managing to wrap a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Kondo-sama's confused, sweetheart," he said. "He's probably suffering from fever-induced hallucinations."

"Is he going to be okay?"

Minoru sighed. "I don't know, Rei-chan. The doctor is going to try his best to bring the fever down, but we need to let him do his job. Now, let's go sit down somewhere, and I'll get you something to eat. You look a little pale."

Reluctantly, she agreed, letting Minoru lead her outside.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside in the hospital waiting room, Rei sat in one of the chairs in the corner, staring blankly off into space. Minoru had said her grandfather was fine before, that the antibiotics they were giving him were helping, and though he seemed a little weak when she saw him, there was nothing about his behavior that had struck Rei as being anything but normal. How could everything have changed for the worse so quickly?

Someone's shadow fell over her as a man walked over, carrying a bag of chips and a bottle of water in his hands. "Here, Rei-chan," he said, dangling the chips in front of her face. "Eat these. They're not exactly the most nutritious snack in the world, but it's the best I could do at the moment."

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry, Uchizawa-san," she replied in a flat monotone. "You can have them."

"I bought them for you. You really ought to eat something."

"Maybe later."

Minoru sighed but didn't push it, setting the chips on the end table beside her chair in case she wanted them later, which Rei doubted she would. "At least drink some water," he insisted, twisting open the bottle cap for her. "Here."

Rei wasn't really thirsty either, but not wanting to seem ungrateful, she took the offered bottle and forced herself to take a few sips of the ice cold water. "Thank you," she said, setting the bottle down beside the unopened bag of chips. "Have you heard anymore news about ojii-san's condition?"

Taking a seat in the chair beside her, Minoru shook his head. "As far as I know, they're still trying to stabilize him," he said. "It might be a while before we hear anything. Maybe I should take you back to your room. There's no reason for you to st-"

"I'm not leaving, Uchizawa-san," Rei declared with the most passion she had been able to arouse since they had left her grandfather's hospital room. "Not until I know ojii-san is going to be okay."

"If that's what you want to do, then that's fine. I'm going to see what I can find out about Kondo-sama's condition. There might be an update by now." After giving her hand a comforting squeeze, he rose from his seat. "Are you going to be okay here by yourself, Rei-chan?"

"Yes, of course. Go."

Minoru turned to leave, noticing Miyuki as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Miyuki, wait," he called out, bringing Rei's attention to the blonde's presence as well.

Miyuki, carrying her youngest child in her arms, turned around. "Minoru-san, I was wondering where you were," she said. "We just got back from the train station, and Kazuya and the others are having a late lunch in the cafeteria. What are you doing out here? I thought you would be visiting Kondo-sama or Rei-chan. And what is Rei-chan doing out of her room? Did something happen?"

Minoru took Miyuki by the arm, leading her away from where Rei was sitting to explain what had happened. Though they were speaking in low, hushed voices, Rei was able to hear almost every word of their conversation.

"The fever has returned, Miyuki," Minoru informed her. "The doctors are trying to stabilize Kondo-sama right now. They don't know if he's going to make it."

"What?" Miyuki breathed. "I don't understand. He was supposed to be getting better. I thought the medication was working."

"The antibiotics have stopped working. They've lost their effectiveness."

"Oh, no…" Miyuki paled, and Rei saw her eyes glitter before she visibly calmed herself and took a deep breath. "Does Rei-chan know about what happened?"

Minoru nodded. "She was visiting him when he started having more hallucinations. And don't scold me for letting her, Miyuki," he said quickly before the blonde could say anything. "I know we promised Kondo-sama we wouldn't tell Rei-chan about his previous episode, but she had a right to know. I knew it, you knew it, and I'm pretty sure Kondo-sama knew it, too. It wasn't right to keep her in the dark about what happened. I think she sensed something wasn't right, and by not telling her, we made things worse instead of better."

"Well, I guess it's pretty much a moot point now anyway, isn't it?" Miyuki pointed out sadly, shifting little Kado, who was sleeping, to her other arm. "How is Rei-chan handling all this? It must have been horrible for her to have witnessed her grandfather in such a confused state."

"About as well as to be expected, I suppose. I think she's still in shock. She's been sitting there ever since I led her out of Kondo-sama's room, staring at nothing. She won't talk unless spoken to first, and when I tried to get her to eat something, she said she wasn't hungry."

"Shouldn't she be taken back to her room? There really is no reason why she should stay out here, waiting for news on his condition. I'm going to take her back…"

Before Miyuki could walk back to where Rei was sitting, Minoru's arm shot out, stopping her. "No, Miyuki," he said. "Let her stay. I already asked her if she wanted to go back to her room, and she said she didn't want to leave until we heard some news. It's fine. I already talked to one of the nurses, and she said it was okay if Rei-chan wanted to wait in the waiting room. She's almost completely recovered from the donation, anyway."

"Well, as long as the nurse says it is okay…" Rei could tell Miyuki wasn't very convinced, but luckily she didn't press the subject. "I'm going down to the cafeteria to tell Kazuya about what happened. I shouldn't be gone long, but if anything happens, Minoru-san, please come find me as soon as possible."

"Of course."

After Miyuki left, Minoru, distracted from the task of asking about her grandfather's condition, headed back to the chair beside Rei and took a seat to wait, the back of his head nearly touching the wall as he loudly exhaled. Much to Rei's eternal gratefulness, though, he didn't try to talk to her again, and the both of them sat in silence, time seeming to slow to a crawl.

 _What is taking them so long?_ Rei wondered, looking up at a nearby wall clock. She was surprised to discover it had only been about five minutes since Miyuki had left to find her husband. She could have sworn an hour had passed, thirty minutes at the very least. Sighing, Rei settled back in her uncomfortable chair, ignoring the slight soreness of her hip that still lingered from the operation, and prepared herself for a long and agonizing wait.

And long it was. Every time Rei took a break from her brooding to glance over at the clock, it appeared as if the minute hand was permanently stuck in place, mocking her desire to see it move. She even began to wonder if it was working correctly, but a comparison to her own watch proved the suspicion incorrect. Miyuki and the rest of her family arrived in the waiting room some time later, providing a momentary distraction as Rei forced herself to greet everyone and thank them for coming, but not even their appearance could take Rei's mind off what was happening in her grandfather's hospital room.

To make matters worse, it was back again - the horrible feeling she dreaded more than anything in the world. Several times Rei had to fight the urge to run to the ladies' room and hurl, the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach growing more intense as the slow-moving seconds crawled by. Her heartbeat had also risen considerably, and her palms were sweaty from clenching them into tight fists on her lap.

Her grandfather wasn't going to make it, she realized. Rei didn't need a doctor to tell her that. She had never been so certain of something in her entire life. The last time she had felt a "feeling" so deeply was right before she walked in her parents' bedroom and found her beautiful mother dead on the floor, and not even that could compare to what she was feeling at that moment. Over the years, her powers of precognition had grown and developed, and thanks to Michiru's training, they were now incredibly accurate.

"I'm going to check in at the nurses' station and see if they know anything yet," Minoru said after a while, standing from his chair. "Is there anything you need, Rei-chan? Rei-chan?"

He rested a hand on Rei's shoulder to get her attention, causing her to involuntarily jump as she was startled from her thoughts. "What?" she asked, blinking in confusion. "Did you hear something about ojii-san? Is his condition stabilized?"

"That's what I'm hoping to find out. I was just wondering if you wanted anything while I'm gone. Perhaps something from the cafeteria? I can go down and get you something to eat if you want. You still haven't eaten lunch."

The thought of food made Rei's stomach clench, and she quickly said, "I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?" he asked, receiving a nod in return. "Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes then."

Rei watched her godfather head toward the nurses' station, but she wasn't holding out much hope for good news. All her hope was gone. To Rei, it was no longer a question of if he would recover, but how much more time her grandfather had left. If her suspicions were correct, it wasn't much. She wrapped her arms around herself, clenching her stomach, and forced herself to not to release the tears she knew were welling in her eyes.

She had to be strong. She had to be.

"Rei-chan?"

At the sound of her name, Rei glanced back up, her eyes meeting those of baby blue. "M-Minako-chan?" she sputtered, surprised not only to see the pretty blonde, but Usagi, Ami, and Makoto as well. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to see you, of course," Minako replied. "I told you when I came this morning we would be back later. You know, you gave us quite a scare when we went to your room and you weren't there. We thought something had happened to you."

"No, I'm fine," Rei assured them.

"You don't look fine, Rei-chan," Ami said, placing her hand on Rei's forehead. "Are you feeling okay? You don't feel like you have a fever, but you look a little green. Is your stomach bothering you? Okaa-san can give you something if you're feeling nauseated."

"It's nothing," she insisted, unwrapping the arms she had around her stomach. Nothing that Dr. Mizuno could cure, at least. That's what Rei wanted to say but didn't, knowing they probably wouldn't understand.

"Well, what are you doing here in the waiting room?" Makoto asked, changing the subject. "We thought the doctor said you were supposed to be taking it easy for a couple of days. We weren't expecting to find you here. Something happened, didn't it? Concerning your grandfather?"

As much as Rei wished she didn't have to answer that question, as long as her friends were there, there was no point in hiding the seriousness of her grandfather's condition. They would learn about it eventually, anyway.

"Ojii-san has a fever," she said softly, barely able to say the words aloud.

"A fever?" Usagi repeated. "That doesn't sound so bad, Rei-chan. People get fevers all the time. The doctors will give him some medicine, and he'll be fine. It works whenever Mama does."

"Usagi-chan, I'm afraid it's not that simple," Ami explained. Out of the four, she was the first to realize the implications behind what Rei said. "Fever is one of the warning signs of rejection."

"What does that mean, Ami-chan?"

The future doctor's face was grim as she answered Usagi's question. "It means the transplant might not be working. It's possible his body could be rejecting Rei-chan's bone marrow."

Hearing that, Minako was the first to react, kneeling down in front of Rei and enveloping her in a comforting hug. "Oh, Rei-chan," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"We all are," Usagi said, sitting down in the chair Minoru had vacated. "But Ami-chan only said rejection was a possibility, right? There's still a chance everything will be fine, isn't there? You can't give up hope, not yet, Rei-chan."

"Usagi-chan's right," Makoto chorused.

Ami nodded her agreement with the others. "Kondo-sama does have the best team of doctors working on him. Okaa-san only has the best of praise for Asada-sensei and the others. If anybody can help save him, it's them."

Rei wished she could believe her friends were right, but she knew that it was a foolish wish; the "feeling" was never wrong. It was only a matter of time. Pulling away from Minako's embrace, she clasped her cold hands in her lap and gazed up at them.

"Thank you for your support, everyone," she said, "but I really want to be alone right now. You should go home. There's no reason for you to stay. If something happens, I'll call."

"No way, Rei-chan," Minako refused. "We are not leaving you like this. You need all the support you can get."

"I'll be fine. Uchizawa-san and Watanabe-san are here, and they have been great so far. Besides, it could be hours before we know anything positive."

"Then we'll stay, won't we, girls?"

"Of course we will," Usagi said. "Mamo-chan and I were supposed to go on a date tonight, but I'm sure he won't mind if I cancel once he hears what is happening."

"And okaa-san is working the late shift here at the hospital, so I'm sure she won't mind if I stay," Ami said. "What about you, Mako-chan?"

"There's nobody but me, so I can stay, too."

"Then it's settled, then," Minako decided. "We're staying, Rei-chan, and nothing you say will change our minds, so don't even try."

Though Rei again tried to protest, the rest of the girls took their seats in some nearby chairs, Minako taking the one on her other side while Makoto sat down next to the blonde and Ami chose the seat next to Usagi. Silently, Minako took Rei's hand in her own, and together they waited for Minoru to return with the news.

They didn't have to wait long. About five minutes after the girls arrived, Minoru reappeared in the waiting room, wearing a look that said he did not have good news on his face. Miyuki was the first one to notice his presence, and after setting baby Kado on the floor to play with his brother, she stood from her chair on the other side of the room where she had been sitting with her family and walked over to him.

"Minoru-san, what is it?" she asked, alerting the others. "Did something happened? Did you learn anything about Kondo-sama's condition?"

Minoru nodded as Rei slowly forced herself to stand, already knowing what was to come. She steeled herself for the news, her face emotionless as her eyes met with those of her godfather.

"He's gone, isn't he?" she asked in a surprisingly calm tone.

"I-I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Minoru apologized, his soft voice filled with sadness. "There was nothing more they could do. The infection had entered his heart, and though they tried to fight it, in the end, it wasn't enough. His heart simply gave out on him."

Miyuki was the first one to react to the news, choking back a sob as she violently shook her head in denial. "It can't be true, Minoru-san," she said hoarsely. "Kondo-sama can't be dead. He never even had the chance to meet Kado-chan. He was so looking forward to tonight, to seeing the kids… Please, tell us this is some incredibly cruel joke. Please! There has to have been some kind of mistake…"

"I'm sorry, Miyuki. I know how much you loved him."

"No…"

Minoru drew his former love into a comforting embrace, letting Miyuki bury her face in his shoulder, as one by one the others began to feel the full impact of the news.

"Oh, Rei-chan, we're so sorry," Minako said as she and the others crowded around a still stoic Rei. The blonde wrapped her arms around her. "Is there anything we can do?"

"Just leave me alone," Rei replied, breaking free. Though she knew her friends were only trying to comfort her, she couldn't help but feel suffocated. The last thing she wanted right now was their pity and sympathy. "You should all go home. You said you wanted to stay until you heard some news about ojii-san and now you have, so there's no reason for you to stay."

"But Rei-chan…"

"Please, just go," she ordered, reaching for her discarded crutches. "I'm fine, really I am. You don't have to worry about me. I'm going back to my room. Bye."

And so Rei hobbled back to her hospital room, numb inside. She couldn't think. She didn't want to think. She just wanted to get back into her bed, and sleep.

Sleep and forget everything.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rei-chan!"

Watching the dark-haired miko hobble toward the door, Minako wanted to run after her best friend, but a strong arm held her back. "Minako-chan, I don't think that's the best idea," Makoto said. "Rei-chan is probably in shock right now. She just experienced a terrible loss. You have to let her deal with this in her own way."

"But I want to help her through this, Mako-chan," Minako said, struggling to break free of the Amazon's firm grip on her wrist. "She shouldn't be alone, not now."

"Do you think we should go after her?" Usagi asked. "I know she said she wanted to be alone, but maybe Minako-chan is right…"

"I think Mako-chan's has the right idea," Ami said. "I don't think the news has really hit Rei-chan yet. Trying to comfort her right now could make things worse instead of better."

"But that's all the more reason to be there for her, isn't it?" Minako asked. "She shouldn't be by herself when she finally realizes her grandfather is dead. It's going to devastate her."

Makoto sighed, loosening the grip on her wrist but not completely letting go. "Minako-chan, I know your heart is in the right place, but comforting Rei-chan when she isn't ready to deal with this is going to backfire," she explained. "Believe me, I know from experience how she must be feeling. All we can do right now is let Rei-chan know that we are here for her if she needs us. She will come to us when she is ready."

Minako doubted it. The other girls simply did not understand Rei as well as she did. Rei hated to show any sign of weakness. She kept her feelings bottled up inside, and unless somebody forced her to deal with them, that was exactly where they would stay until the burden became too much to bear. Makoto might understand the situation due to the fact that she had lost both her parents in a tragic plane crash a few years ago, but Minako understood the person, and she knew exactly what she needed to do, no matter what the others thought.

"I don't care, Mako-chan! Rei-chan can yell at me all she wants for butting into her business. I can handle it. At least then she would be releasing some of the anger she must be feeling."

"But -"

"Girls, do you know where Rei-chan went?" a masculine voice asked, interrupting the mini-argument between Minako and Makoto. All the girls turned their attention to Minoru and a still tearful Miyuki, who was dotting her eyes with the handkerchief he had given her. "We saw her leave a few moments ago, and we were wondering how she was dealing with what happened to Kondo-sama."

"She said she was going back to her room, Uchizawa-san," Minako answered, for once managing not to blush in his presence. She had more important things on which to concentrate at the moment than how beautiful his green eyes were, even when they were filled with sadness. "Rei-chan wanted to be alone for a while."

Minoru nodded, almost as if he had expected that answer. "I should have suspected as much," he said, more to himself than anybody else, although Minako was standing close enough to hear. "Sometimes they are so much alike…"

"Who?"

"Oh, don't mind me, Aino-san. It's nothing," he replied with a shake of his head.

"Did Rei-chan seem okay when she left?" Miyuki inquired, bringing the subject back to Rei. "Was she upset or anything like that? I'm worried about her. Maybe I should talk to her…"

"No, Miyuki, I'll go talk to her. You should stay here. The children are probably confused by what happened. You and Watanabe-san need to talk to them and answer any questions they have about...this."

"You're probably right, Minoru-san," she admitted, looking over at her family. One of the two girls, the younger one, was already crying and being comforted in her father's lap, while the oldest boy, Takara, gave his other sister a hug. The other two boys were too young to understand what was going on around them, but they were crying as well, most likely sensing the sadness of the others. "The kids need me right now, but when you see Rei-chan, will you give her a hug for me and tell her I'm sorry about what happened?"

"Of course."

Miyuki thanked him by laying a hand on his arm, and then she hurried over to the two little boys, gathering them into her arms and murmuring comforting words.

"Uchizawa-san, do you mind if I go with you to talk to Rei-chan?" Minako asked once Miyuki was gone. "I'd really like to see her."

"Minako-chan!" Makoto lightly scolded. "What did I tell you? Let Uchizawa-san handle Rei-chan by himself."

"It's okay...Kino-san, is it? If Aino-san wants to come with me to see Rei-chan, I don't mind the company," Minoru replied, lightly touching Minako's elbow. "Shall we?"

"Y-Yes."

Leaving the others behind, Minako and Minoru headed down the hall to Rei's private room. "Thank you for allowing me see Rei-chan, Uchizawa-san," Minako said as they walked side-by-side. "Mako-chan didn't think we should bother her at the moment, which I guess I can kinda understand why, but I'm worried about her."

"I know exactly how you feel, Aino-san," her companion said. "It's tough to see one of your friends in pain. All you want to do is comfort that person and take away all the heartache."

"You sound as if you've been through something like this before."

"Yes, a couple of times, actually," Minoru admitted. "I probably should warn you, though, it isn't always easy. Sometimes the person doesn't want your help or sympathy, so don't take it personally if Rei-chan isn't receptive to your efforts at first. Don't push it. The important thing is that she knows you are there for her if and when she is ready."

"I understand. Mako-chan pretty much said the same thing earlier. I know Rei-chan probably doesn't want to see me or anybody else right now, but I just want to make sure she is okay."

Minoru gave her a small smile. "You're a good friend, Aino-san."

They finally reached Rei's room. Looking through the small window set in the door, it appeared nobody was there since all the lights were turned off, but they knew better. Minoru lightly knocked on the door, and when there was no answer, he pushed it opened, peeping in through the crack. "Rei-chan?"

"Is she sleeping?" Minako asked in a hushed whisper from behind Minoru. Though she was anxious to see Rei, Minako didn't want to disturb her if she had managed to somehow fall asleep. "Maybe we should come back later."

"I can't really tell," he said in an equally soft voice, looking back over his shoulder at Minako. "She's facing in the other direction, but I can't imagine anyone falling asleep so quickly after hearing news like that. You stay here for a moment, and I'll go see if she's awake."

Minako nodded and took his spot at the door, watching as Minoru walked over to Rei's bed. If the girl snuggled under the blankets noticed his presence, she didn't show it, but the redhead continued anyway, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress and leaning over to see her face.

"Rei-chan? Are you wake?" he asked. "It's me."

After what seemed like an endless pause, Rei finally moved, craning her neck to see behind her. "Oh, Uchizawa-san, it's you," she said. "What are you doing here?"

The redhead motioned for Minako to join him. "Aino-san and I wanted to check in on you," he answered. "You left the waiting room rather abruptly."

"Yeah, we were worried about you," Minako added, coming up next to the bed. She still couldn't see Rei's face because of the darkness, but she didn't sound like she had been crying. Minako didn't know whether she should be glad or concerned about that. "Everybody is."

Rei rested her head back on the pillow and looked straight ahead towards the window, the blinds which had been closed as not to let in the brightness of the sunshine. "I'm fine," she replied flatly. "Nobody needs to worry about me. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure, Rei-chan?" Minoru asked. One of his hands reached out to smooth her slightly tousled black hair in fatherly affection. "It's okay if you aren't. You can cry if you want, let out your emotions…"

"Tears won't bring ojii-san back, will they?"

"No, they won't, but it might make you feel better."

"I don't want to feel better. I just want to be left alone for a while. Doesn't anybody understand that?"

Pulling back his hand, Minoru sighed in defeat. "Okay, if you want us to go, then we will."

"Actually, I want to stay," Minako said. No matter what Rei said, she wasn't leaving until she finished what she came to do. "Is that okay with you, Uchizawa-san?"

"It's fine with me, Aino-san, but Rei-chan…"

"If I start to bother Rei-chan, she can kick me out herself. Right, Rei-chan?"

The girl on the bed didn't comment, but Minako took her silence to mean she agreed with the conditions and walked over to the other side of the bed. Minoru, after kissing Rei on the back of her head, said goodbye and left the room.

Once the door had closed behind him, Minako took a seat in the chair provided for guests and looked at Rei, her heart going out to her best friend. From her vantage point, she finally was able to see the miko's face clearly. There were no signs that Rei had been crying, but her eyes, so dark they almost appeared black in the dim room, told Minako everything she needed to know. They really were windows to the heart - or was that to the soul? She couldn't remember the exact saying at the moment, but it didn't matter. No matter how a person wanted to phrase it, Rei was absolutely heartbroken by her grandfather's death.

"Oh, Rei-chan…" Minako whispered, leaning forward in her chair. "I'm so, so sorry…"

Amethyst eyes, noticing they were being watched, lowered until they were almost closed. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Rei asked, seeming not to even have heard Minako. "I don't want your pity, Minako-chan. If that's why you are here, you might as well leave right now."

"I'm not pitying you, Rei-chan. I'm sympathizing with you."

"It's the same thing."

"No, it's not."

"Well, I don't want your sympathy, either," she declared, carefully rolling over to lie on her back. "What good does sympathy do? It doesn't change anything. A hundred people can say 'I'm sorry for your loss,' but it won't bring ojii-san back, will it?"

"No, but at least you would know you have friends and people who still care about you, who want to help you through this."

"I'm fine, Minako-chan. I don't need or want anybody's help, least of all, yours."

Minako rose from her seat in the chair and sat down on the edge of Rei's hospital bed. "You don't really mean that, do you?" she asked. "I know it's true I don't have much experience with death. About the closest I've come to losing a family member is when our dog Pochi died about a year before I found Artemis. He really was the cutest thing…" She smiled wistfully at the memory of the adorable Dalmatian. "But that doesn't mean I can't imagine what you must be going through. If one of my parents died, I know I would be really sad about it. We might have our occasional fights - me and okaa-san especially - but I love them and would miss them terribly if they were gone. If that were to happen, I hope I would be able to count on you and the other girls to help me through. After all, isn't that what a friend is supposed to do? Help you through the tough times?"

A sigh escaped from Rei's lips. "Minako-chan, I know you want to help," she said. "I get that, and I appreciate it, really I do, but you need to understand something. You can't help, no matter how hard you try. Ojii-san is gone, and I need to deal with that - by myself."

Minako, try as she might, could not understand why Rei was insisting on pushing everyone who cared about her away. They wanted to help her. Why couldn't Rei let them? If the situations were reversed, Minako would have been grateful to have friends to support and comfort her though the pain.

"But why? You shouldn't have to do this by yourself," she protested, clasping one of the girl's hands in both her own. "Not when you have me, and Uchizawa-san, and Watanabe-san, and the other girls who are all willing to help…"

"I said you can't," Rei said, her voice somewhat harsher and colder than before. Even her face had hardened, frozen into an expression of determination and stubbornness. "Now, I think you should leave. It's getting late, and knowing you, you haven't called your mother yet to tell her you're still here. She'll scold you if you aren't home for dinner and you haven't called."

At the mention of her mother, Minako rolled her eyes. "I can handle okaa-san, Rei-chan. She'll understand when I tell her what happened. As much as I like to complain about her stupid rules and stuff, she's not completely heartless."

"I don't want to get you in trouble."

"I won't, and even if I do, I don't care. Being here with you during your time of need is worth the possibility of getting grounded until I graduate from high school."

"Minako-chan, go," Rei ordered, finally yanking her hand away. "You said before Uchizawa-san left that if you started bothering me, I had the right to kick you out, right? Well, you can consider yourself booted."

"What? You don't mean -"

"Yes, I do. Now, I want you to leave. And you can tell anybody else who has the brilliant idea of coming to see me that I am not receiving any visitors who aren't wearing hospital I.D. badges. I want to be alone, and this time, I mean it."

"Oh, I see," Minako said softly, sliding off the bed. "If that's the way you really feel, then I guess I'll leave. I'm sorry I bothered you, Rei-chan."


	16. Phoenix Rising, Part II

A couple of days later, everyone gathered at the small cemetery near Hikawa to say their final goodbyes to Kondo Saburo. It was a sunny day, but nevertheless, a darkness had come over them all as the group of mourners, lead by a stoic Rei, who was carrying the urn, made their way to the sakura tree in back, where his ashes would be buried with his daughter's.

Once they reached the gravesite, Rei handed the urn to the Buddhist priest who would be performing the final ceremony, then took her place off to the side, away from the other mourners. She was not in the mood for their comforting words and hoped the ceremony wouldn't take too long, wanting nothing more than to go back home to Hikawa, away from the sympathetic eyes and kind words that had followed her ever since she came home from the hospital.

Minoru, Miyuki, Minako, Usagi… They had all tried their best to comfort her over the last few days, but to no avail. Rei knew she should have been grateful to have people in her life who cared about her that much, but she honestly wished they would leave her alone. All she wanted was to be left alone - was that too much to ask?

Fortunately, it seemed that after repeated orders to let her be, they had finally gotten the message. Rei glanced around at the other mourners and was glad to see nobody had stepped forward in her direction as she had expected, though she did notice Minako staring at her with concern from where Usagi and the other senshi, including Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru, stood. Ignoring the look, Rei turned away and forced her attention on everybody but the pretty blonde, feeling guilty about the way she had treated her. She still hadn't apologized to Minako for her behavior that day at the hospital, although she knew she couldn't keep putting if off forever.

The rest of the mourners were mostly her grandfather's friends. Other than Miyuki and her family and Minoru, who had brought along a rather statuesque blonde and her daughter, Rei recognized a couple of the shrine's most generous patrons in attendance, as well as Hideki, the kind man who owned the pawnshop. Also there was Miyazaki, his roommate from the hospital who had also become a close friend during his battle. Rei almost didn't recognize him at first without his infamous toupee and had to look twice before she could place him.

Noticeably absent, however, was her father. Rei knew she shouldn't have expected him to come, but a part of her was angry he hadn't. Saburo had been his father-in-law, and it was only proper that he should pay his final respects, no matter what their differences were.

But as usual, family always came last for Hino Keitaro, Rei thought bitterly, clenching her hands at her side. He was such a selfish bastard. Did he not even care that she was now practically an orphan? Not that she actually needed him. She had gotten along quite well without him in her life and would continue to do so, in spite of everything that had happened. She was certain of that much.

But…

Rei shook her head before the thought had a chance to form and turned her attention back to the ceremony, wrapping her arms around her waist in the only acceptable form of comfort.

As it turned out, the priest managed to keep the ceremony mercifully short, and after the burial was finished, Rei was only too happy to leave. Passing right by her friends without even a goodbye, she exited the cemetery and began heading back to Hikawa, her legs pumping as hard as they could without breaking into a run. Stinging tears had begun to form in her eyes, but Rei was determined not to cry.

She had to be strong.

"Rei-chan!"

Glancing back over her shoulder at the familiar voice, Rei purposely sped up when she saw Minako was following her, the blonde coming out of the cemetery only seconds later. Unfortunately for her, she had forgotten Minako was a star volleyball player, and thus in terrific shape. She had no trouble catching up to her and roughly grabbed Rei's arm, holding her back.

"Rei-chan, stop."

Angry and frustrated, Rei glared down at the usually gentle fingertips digging into her skin. "Let go of me, Minako-chan," she ordered. "I don't want to talk to you or anybody else. Just leave me alone."

"Is this how it is going to be from now on?" Minako demanded to know, still holding her arm. "Are you going to continue to push us away when all we are trying to do is help?"

"I don't need your help."

"Then why did you leave the cemetery like a bat out of Africa?"

"It's 'a bat out of' - Oh, never mind!" Rei said, managing to yank her arm away. Minako's fingernails had left five distinct crescent-shaped imprints on her pale skin where she had dug. "Mind your own business for once, Minako-chan. Is that so hard to do? It's no wonder you can't get a boyfriend. You'd drive him crazy, always butting into his private life."

"I only do it because I care about you, Rei-chan," she said softly. "Is it wrong to be concerned about the people you love?"

"No, but…"

"No buts. I know you're hurting, and that hurts me as well. I hate seeing you like this. I want to help. Please, if there is anything I can do…"

"I told you there isn't," Rei declared, walking off again. "Now leave me alone. I'm fine."

Never one to leave well enough alone, Minako ignored her order and again chased up to Rei, falling in step with her as they approached the steps of Hikawa. "You know you can't hide your true feelings forever," Minako said. "You might think you're okay now, but you're really just fooling yourself, and the longer you keep up this charade, the harder you are going to fall when it finally hits you."

"When what finally hits me, Minako-chan?" Rei asked, faintly annoyed when she noticed her friend was following her up the steps. "I know ojii-san is dead. I'm not in denial about that."

"Then why won't you allow yourself to grieve? I was watching you today and you didn't shed a single tear through the entire burial. You just stood there like a statue."

"There isn't time to grieve," Rei replied. "I have a shrine to run now. Ojii-san wouldn't want Hikawa to go out of business because I'm too grief-stricken to work."

"He also wouldn't want you using work as a reason not to grieve," Minako pointed out, running up a couple of steps and blocking Rei's way. "Hikawa's not going to fall apart if you keep it closed a couple more days. People will understand."

"Get out of the way, Minako."

"Not until you promise me you won't open the shrine today. That's all I'm asking - one day. If you feel up to it tomorrow, fine, go ahead and reopen, but at least give yourself one day to rest. You've been under so much stress lately with the transplant and the funeral preparations, I'm afraid you're going to make yourself sick. If you don't want to do it for yourself, then do it for me, okay? I'll feel a lot better if you do. Please?"

Sighing, Rei hung her head in defeat. She was tired of arguing with Minako. If keeping the shrine closed for the day somehow let Minako feel like she had helped, then Rei supposed it couldn't hurt. It wasn't as if she expected many visitors would come by Hikawa anyway, except for those who wanted to offer their condolences. Her grandfather's death had been well-publicized.

"Fine, I promise I won't open the shrine today."

"Good." Moving out of the way, Minako stepped back down the stairs and gave Rei a hug. "And if you do need anything else, you know who to call, right? See you, Rei-chan."

"Bye."

Rei waved goodbye to Minako, and once the blonde was gone, she trudged up the final remaining steps, sighing deeply once she made it to the top. _So, this is it,_ she thought to herself as she looked upon the shrine grounds. _He really is gone, isn't he?_

It was funny how outwardly, everything still seemed the same, as if nothing had changed. The crows were still cawing, the ever-present leaves were still littering the ground, and the sacred fire still burned, a thin trail of smoke rising from the prayer room's window vent. Rei almost expected to see her grandfather coming out of their small house to welcome her home, dressed in his usual blue-and-white robes and a straw broom in his hand. But, of course, he didn't.

And he never would again.

"It's not fair," Rei suddenly said aloud, giving herself a hug. "It's just not fair…"

He should have been coming home today, alive and well, not buried in an urn, his body nothing more than ashes. What kind of homecoming was that? He had fought so hard to fight the cancer, and that was his reward? Death? It hardly seemed right. What had been the point in fighting if ultimately he was going to lose anyway? Sure, he had managed to add an extra year to his life, which was more than a lot of leukemia patients could say, but the price had been too high. Her grandfather had barely lived the last few months, always in and out of the hospital for various illnesses and treatments. As horrible as it sounded, he probably would have been happier letting the disease take its natural course after the first round of chemotherapy failed. At least then he could have died at the place he loved best instead of a cold, impersonal hospital room surrounded by those awful, beeping machines. He deserved so much better than that.

But instead, he had chose to keep fighting, refusing to give up hope that he could somehow beat the disease that had taken over his body. The doctors warned him the bone marrow transplant was risky, especially considering that her own marrow had not been a perfect match, yet he had been willing to take that risk in exchange for the small chance he might be cured. Why?

Why had he put himself though all that pain and suffering for something that in the end didn't even work?

Rei hugged herself even tighter, walking over to the living quarters and taking a seat on the edge of the porch. The silence of the shrine, usually so soothing, now made her feel even worse. She realized that she was listening for a sound, any kind of sound, to tell her that this was all a nightmare and that he was actually inside…

The worst part about the whole thing was that Rei couldn't shake the feeling that his death was her fault, as ridiculous as it seemed. She blamed herself for not being a perfect match for the transplant. If she had been, her grandfather would most likely be back at Hikawa instead of an urn.

She never should have agreed to donate her marrow, especially not after Ami had expressed some concern that her senshi powers might somehow affect the transplant. Although none of the preliminary tests had detected anything out of the ordinary, it still had been a risky move, not knowing how a normal person would react to a senshi's body tissue. What if the reason he had died was because she was Sailor Mars?

Rei sucked in a sharp breath, her face paling as she remembered something her grandfather had said during their last moments together. He had been dreaming, but she distinctly recalled Saburo mentioning something about her alter ego during his feverish delirium. She didn't think much of it at the time, dismissing it as coincidental crazy talk, but…

Feeling the muscles in her stomach clench, Rei wrapped her arms around her abdomen and began rocking herself back and forth. What had she done? It was her fault, after all. How else would he have known who she really was? She'd never told him about her secret life as Sailor Mars, not wanting him to worry about her. The only way he could have found out was if he had somehow been able to sense her powers from the marrow.

"I'm sorry, ojii-san," she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry. It's all my fault, all my fault…"

"Rei-chan?"

Surprised by the gentle masculine voice calling her name, Rei abruptly glanced up, wiping away the tear that was rolling down her cheek. She expected to find that Minoru had somehow followed her back to the shrine, but instead, Rei gasped as she saw a handsome, brown-haired man looming over her, his eyes gazing down at her with sympathy from behind his gold wire-rimmed glasses. Years had passed since the last time they spoke, but time had not managed to distort her memory of him.

"K-Kaidou-sama?" she stuttered, her eyes still not believing what they were seeing. "But… What…?"

Chuckling softly, Kaidou Ace sat down beside her on the porch. "Come now, Rei-chan," he said. "There's no need to be so formal with me. I may now be the governor of Tokyo, but I was your friend first, right?"

"But I don't understand… Why are you here?" she asked, unsure of what to make of his unexpected visit.

"I heard what happened to Kondo-sama," he explained, reaching for her hand. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan. I know it must be difficult for you."

"Oh." Rei pulled her hand away and sucked in a ragged breath to steady her emotions. She should have known he would have heard about her grandfather's death. "Thank you for your condolences, Kaidou-sama," she said, still using the most formal honorific. "It was very kind of you to stop by, especially considering how busy you must be with your job and your family."

"You know I was never too busy for you."

"Yes, but that was a different time. Things changed."

"That they did," he admitted with a small smile. "I assume you know Yuri and I got married. We have a son now, almost two years old."

"Congratulations," Rei replied in an emotionless monotone as she stood from her seat on the porch. "I'm glad for you."

She had, of course, known about his marriage and the baby, but though she thought she had made peace with what happened between them, Rei still felt a twinge of jealousy upon hearing the news from Kaidou himself. He looked so happy talking about his perfect little family. She certainly didn't begrudge his happiness, but she could be forgiven for not turning cartwheels. If only things had been different…

"Rei-chan, I'm sorry," Kaidou apologized. "I shouldn't have brought up Yuri and the baby, not now. It was insensitive of me. I didn't mean to make it seem as if -"

Rei shook her head, interrupting him. "No, it's okay," she assured him, pushing the "what ifs" and "if onlys" out of her mind. "You moved on, just as I have. I'm just being silly. Don't mind me."

There was an uncomfortable pause. "There was actually another reason I came by today," Kaidou finally said. "A year ago, when ojii-sama died…you sent me a letter."

"Oh, the letter…" Rei repeated, blushing lightly. She had nearly forgotten about the short note she had written him after she had learned of Negishi's death, offering her condolences. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sent it. I mean, I barely even knew your grandfather. It was presumptuous of me."

"Presumptuous?" Kaidou shook his head. "Rei-chan, I really appreciated your sympathy, even if you didn't know ojii-san that well. In fact, if anybody should be apologizing, it should be me."

"You? Why?"

"Because I never wrote you back to thank you. I meant to, honestly I did, but…"

"But you were too busy," Rei said, filling in the blank. It was story of her life. "It's okay. I understand."

"No, it wasn't that at all," he insisted. "In fact, I wrote several drafts of the thank you note, but nothing seemed quite right. I felt like I needed to thank you in person. I wanted to see you."

"Then why didn't you?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "I suppose I was afraid you wouldn't want to see me. Writing a letter and talking to somebody face-to-face are two completely different things. Then when I heard about your grandfather's illness from Hino-sama… Well, I figured you had more important things to do than see me. Eventually, I guess I put the letter out of my mind and forgot about it."

"Until you heard about ojii-san."

Kaidou nodded. "Yeah," he answered. "I thought about going to the funeral today, but I didn't want to cause a scene. Meeting you here, alone, seemed like the best idea."

"Watanabe-san and her family will probably be back soon," Rei said. "They've been staying with us - I mean, with me - for the past few days."

"Oh." He stood as if to leave, dusting off the back of his pants. "I didn't know you were having guests. I didn't mean to intrude. Perhaps I should go…"

A part of Rei wished he would, wanting to be alone with her grief. However, another part wanted him to stay, to be the big brother to her that he had been when she was a little girl, before she had ruined things with her stupid declaration of love. She had missed their special friendship, even more than she realized. They couldn't be lovers - she knew that - but perhaps they could still be friends like Miyuki and Minoru.

"No, you don't have to do that," she said softly, causing him to stop in his tracks as he began walking toward the torii. "Please stay, Kaidou-san. I want you to stay."

Turning around, Kaidou gave her a small smile. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because if you are uncomfortable with me being here, I can go. All you have to do is say the word."

Rei bit her lip, unsure if she made the right decision. "Well, you did come all this way," she said. "The least I can do is offer you some tea."

"Tea? Tea would be nice."

"Good… Then, I'll go boil some water."

Rei headed inside the living quarters, Kaidou following behind her, and went to the kitchen to prepare the refreshments. When she came back out, Kaidou was already sitting at the low table, his back turned away from her. Clearing her throat to announce her presence, she joined him and began serving their drinks.

"I hope you don't mind chamomile," Rei said, handing him a tea bowl. "It's all we have at the moment, since I haven't had the chance to go to the store lately."

Taking a sip of the hot tea, Kaidou nodded. "Chamomile is fine," he assured her. "This tastes great."

"It's nothing special."

Another bout of silence fell over them as they drank, and Rei began to regret inviting Kaidou to stay. Trying to be friends with somebody she once loved was harder than Minoru made it seem. Perhaps now wasn't the best time to resume a friendship, after all. Rei was close to asking him to leave when Kaidou finally broke through the quiet.

"So, it's been a long time since we had tea here together, hasn't it?" he said, glancing around the room. "Remember when we were younger and you would force me to play 'tea ceremony' with you, using those old, cracked bowls you'd found?"

"Yeah," Rei answered, smiling a little at the fond memory. "I remember how you would always complain about your feet falling asleep halfway through the ceremony."

"Yet you never would allow me to sit cross-legged, even when I told you my legs were falling off," he reminded her with a short laugh. "You really were cruel."

"I was not! If I could make it through the ceremony without complaining, then you should have been able to as well."

"Hey, girls have it easier than guys. Besides, you had plenty of practice sitting at this table night after night. You can't blame me for having a Western-style dining table with chairs at my house."

"Maybe not, but you still were a wimp."

"A wimp, huh?" Kaidou repeated, chuckling. "Well, perhaps, but I always could beat you at archery."

"You couldn't anymore," Rei said smugly. "I'm the highest ranked archer at the Academy."

"Is that so?" he asked, his still beautiful green eyes widening behind his glasses. "That's great, Rei-chan! Kondo-sama must have been so proud of you."

"Yes, I suppose he was," she said quietly, pushing her tea bowl away. She had suddenly lost her thirst.

"Oh, sorry," he offered when he realized he had brought up a painful subject. "I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have said that."

"Said what? Ojii-san's name?" Rei asked. "No, it's okay, Kaidou-san. I can't expect people not to mention him again, as if he never existed. That's not what I want. It's just hard, you know?"

"I do."

Rei glanced up, regarding him through different eyes. "You really do, don't you?" she asked. "You know how I must be feeling."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far, Rei-chan. I wasn't as close to my grandfather as you were to yours. He was always very busy with his career, and we didn't spend as much time together as I would have liked…"

"But you loved and admired Negishi-sama, didn't you?"

"Yes, very much," Kaidou said. "Ironically, the sicker he became, the closer we got. He was no longer this…unreachable idol, but a man, my grandfather."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did he die?"

"Complications from diabetes. He'd suffered from it for many years, even before you were born. It wasn't a shock to us."

"And there was nothing that could be done?"

"No, not really. He had a kidney transplant a couple of years ago when his old ones failed due to the disease, but eventually that one gave out on him as well."

"A kidney transplant?"

"I was the donor," he revealed, causing Rei to stare at him with a mixture of shock and admiration. It seemed as if they had more in common than she originally thought.

"You donated one of your kidneys to Negishi-sama? You really are a kind-hearted person, Kaidou-san."

Bashful, Kaidou rubbed the back of his neck. "I only did what was right, Rei-chan," he said modestly. "After all, I was the closest match in my family besides my youngest sister, who my parents thought was too young to make that kind of decision. Anybody would have done the same if they were in my position, and I was happy to do so. Ojii-sama very much appreciated it."

"But didn't you feel guilty when your donated kidney failed, too?" Rei asked hesitantly, remembering what she had been thinking about before he arrived at Hikawa.

"Yes, I did, for a little while," he confessed. "Ojii-sama was dying, and I thought for sure it was all my fault. I even begged him to go back on dialysis when it happened, hoping it would ease my own guilt, but he didn't want to go through that again."

"So, what changed? When did you stop feeling guilty?"

Kaidou thought it over for a few moments before answering. "I suppose it was during one of our last conversations, when he thanked me for the final time for the donation. I hadn't wanted to hear it, but he told me he didn't blame me or my kidney for failing him. He said there was no possible way we could have known for sure what would happen, so there was no point in feeling guilty about it. The only thing that mattered to him was that I loved him enough to try to help him, and for that, he would be forever grateful. After that, I realized it really wasn't my fault. How could it be, when I didn't know the kidney would fail? We knew it was always a risk, but isn't that the nature of a risk? That sometimes you fail and sometimes you succeed? Sometimes things happen that are beyond your control, but that doesn't mean it was your fault."

"I suppose your right," Rei said, though she received little comfort from his words. Even if his donated kidney had eventually failed, at least it had worked for a while, giving Negishi a couple of years of freedom from dialysis. She couldn't say the same in her case. She hadn't helped her grandfather at all; he had no reason to be grateful for her help.

Green eyes looked at her in concern. "Rei-chan, what is this about, really?" Kaidou asked, scooting closer toward her. "I get the feeling you aren't just asking these questions about my late grandfather out of some kind of morbid curiosity. You're not that kind of person."

"It's nothing, Kaidou-san. More tea?"

Her hand moved toward his wooden tea bowl to refill it, but Rei gasped as Kaidou gently took her wrist, stopping her.

"No, thank you. I'd rather talk about what is bothering you."

"Nothing is bothering me," she insisted, her eyes narrowing as she looked up from his grasp on her wrist to his face. "Perhaps it is time you left. Watanabe-san and the others will be back soon."

"I don't think I should, not when something is apparently weighing heavily on your mind. Just talk to -"

"What right do you think you have to pry in my private emotions?" she demanded to know, yanking her arm away and standing. "You're not my lover, or even my brother."

"Well, you certainly didn't seem to have a problem prying into mine, Rei-chan," Kaidou shot back, standing as well. He didn't seem quite as tall as she remembered him, but she still had to crane her neck to look up at him. "Do you think it was easy for me to talk to you about ojii-sama's death? You know, I thought answering your questions might open the door if you wanted to talk about what happen to Kondo-sama, but since you claim everything is fine, maybe I should leave. You obviously don't want my, or anybody else's help. I'll show myself out."

"Kaidou-san, wait!" Rei reached out to stop him, not wanting him to leave. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realize how insensitive I was being, asking about Negishi-sama's death. I just thought… Well, I wasn't thinking. Please don't go."

His face softening, Kaidou turned back around and pulled Rei into a comforting hug, one she was powerless to fight.

"Let me be your big brother again, Rei-chan," he whispered into her hair. "You don't have to be brave in front of me. Remember, we're kindred spirits. We're the same."

"The same..."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the cemetery, Miyuki was franticly searching among the guests for a certain raven-haired teen. The last time she had seen her, Rei had been standing off to the side during the burial, away from everyone else, but as soon as the ceremony was over, it seemed as if she had disappeared into thin air. Speaking to one of Rei's friends, an exotic dark-skinned woman with long hunter green hair, Miyuki learned that Rei had left the cemetery with her best friend Minako right on her heels, but other than that, nobody knew where she had gone.

"Where in the world did she go without telling us?" Miyuki asked herself, falling back on her old habit of biting her thumbnail.

She was beginning to worry. Rei wasn't exactly in her normal state of mind. There was no telling what she would do.

"Did you find her?" Minoru inquired a few minutes later, lightly touching her shoulder as he came up behind her. He had also been looking for Rei.

Miyuki shook her head, turning around to face the redhead. "No, Meioh-san said she saw Rei-chan leave with Aino-san, but neither said where they were going. Do you think we should go look for them?"

"We can if you want, Miyuki, but I wouldn't worry too much. Aino-san is with her, after all. Rei-chan probably just decided to go back to Hikawa. Let them have some time to themselves."

"I suppose you're right," she replied, still feeling a twinge of worry but knowing Minoru was probably correct. At least Minako was with Rei so she wasn't alone. "She'll be fine."

"What about you? How are you holding up?" Minoru asked.

"I'll be okay," Miyuki lied, wiping away a few stray tears that had made their way down her cheek before crossing her arms across her chest. "It's just hard to believe he's really gone, you know? In some ways, Kondo-sama was like a second father to me. I'll miss him."

Minoru nodded, green eyes filled with sympathy. "I know. He was a good man."

"I can't believe this is happening," Miyuki murmured, gazing at the Kondo family grave. "I always thought that Takara would be here when this happened…"

"Well, she is here, in a way," Minoru pointed out, but that only made Miyuki's tears worse. Wincing at his clumsiness, Minoru gently hugged her. "I'm sorry. Listen, they're both in a better place now. They're both healthy and happy, which is what we always wanted for Takara-san. And Kondo-sama deserves his rest, don't you think?"

Miyuki nodded, sniffing slightly. "You're right, Minoru-san…"

"Minoru?" a soft voice said, interrupting the tender moment between the two friends. "I hope I'm not interrupting…"

Hearing the voice, they finally broke apart, Miyuki blushing slightly when she saw it belonged to the tall, stunning blonde Minoru had brought with him to the funeral. Minoru, however, showed no trace of guilt at all, a smile crossing his lips as he turned around and took his place beside her.

"Oh, Jakakuerine, there you are," he said, resting his hand intimately on the small of his date's back. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Watanabe Miyuki, an old friend of mine. Miyuki, I'd like to introduce you to Yanagazawa-Garnier Jakakuerine."

The woman offered her hand in the Western manner. "Actually, it's Jacqueline, but Minoru has the worst trouble trying to pronounce it correctly," she said with a small smile as they shook hands. Miyuki noticed a faint trace of a foreign accent in her voice, most likely French, but she spoke Japanese very well. "I'm so pleased to finally meet you, Watanabe-san, although I wish it were during happier circumstances. I've heard so much about you."

"Y-Yes, it's very nice to meet you, too," Miyuki replied, relaxing a little once she realized Jacqueline wasn't angry or jealous to have seen her in Minoru's embrace. She already liked the woman better than some of Minoru's previous girlfriends, who had a tendency to be clingy at times. It was about time he started seeing somebody with some maturity. "I'm sorry to say I haven't heard much about you, though, Yanagazawa-san," she admitted, curious. "Have you and Minoru-san seeing each other long?"

At that, Minoru actually blushed, his skin turning into a ripe tomato rivaling the shade of his hair, and Jacqueline softly chuckled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Well, I wouldn't necessarily say we're dating anymore, Watanabe-san," she said, holding up her left hand to reveal a beautiful princess-cut diamond solitaire set in platinum on her ring finger.

Miyuki's eyes widened as the significance of the ring became apparent, and she looked over at Minoru. "You're… You're…"

Minoru nodded. "Yes, Jakakuerine and I are engaged to be married."

If little green men had landed on the Earth at that moment and proclaimed they were from Mars, Miyuki wouldn't have been more shocked than she was at that moment, hearing the news that Uchizawa Minoru, one of Tokyo's most notorious bachelors, was engaged. She, like most everyone else who knew the playboy, hadn't thought he had it in him to settle down with only one woman. Minoru liked playing the field, and he never expressed an interest in getting married before, not even when he declared his love for her all those years ago at her wedding to Kazuya. And now here he was with his arm around the waist of this beautiful exotic woman… She'd never thought to see the day.

"You're surprised, aren't you?" Minoru asked with a wry grin when she had yet to respond.

To say Miyuki was surprised by the announcement would be an understatement. Floored, astonished, stunned, and flabbergasted was more like it. However, she regained her composure and nodded. "It certainly is…unexpected," she said.

"It did happen rather quickly," Jacqueline admitted. "You could say it was a whirlwind romance. We met about a year ago in Paris, when I was working as a corporate lawyer for Nintendo France. Since I am half-Japanese, I was volunteered to be Minoru's unofficial translator, helping him with his atrocious French skills."

"Hey, jay parlay fransez too say," the redhead protested, only proving exactly how bad his French was. "I was only pretending to need help to spend more time with you."

"You keep telling yourself that, _chéri_ ," Jacqueline lightly teased before returning to her story. "Anyway, we had some fun together, but when Minoru left, I never imagined I would see him again. You see, we had agreed to keep things simple, no strings attached. I had just gotten through a bad divorce, so I was in no hurry to rush into another serious relationship, and Minoru… Well, you know Minoru."

Miyuki smirked, knowing exactly to what she was referring. "Yes, I do."

"As luck would have it, though, about five months later, I was offered a job working for the main company here in Japan. We managed to meet again on my first day, and before I knew it, my daughter and I had moved into his apartment. It was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement at first until I found my own place, but…"

"But I couldn't bear to see her leave," Minoru said, his green eyes filled with adoration as he glanced over at his fiancée.

"And the rest is history," Jacqueline finished.

"Well, congratulations to both of you," Miyuki said. "I'm really happy for both of you."

"Are you, Miyuki?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied. "Have you set a date yet for the wedding?"

The partners-to-be shot each other quick glances before they both began to blush, and Minoru rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Um… Well, we were originally planning to have a ceremony later in the summer, but due to, uh…an unexpected surprise, we've decided to marry next week."

"An unexpected surprise?" Miyuki repeated, not understanding until Jacqueline rested a hand on her flat stomach. Her lips then formed into a tiny, perfect "o" as the reason behind the motion became clear.

Minoru was full of surprises today, wasn't he?

"Yes, it was quite a shock to us as well," Jacqueline admitted with a smile. "We are very excited, though, and my Angelique can't wait to be a big sister, can you, sweetheart?"

Beside her, the angelic-looking girl, who had come over to her mother just in time to hear the announcement, shyly nodded her agreement. Angelique was about four or five years old, with golden blonde hair and blue-green eyes.

" _Maman_ , Minoru-papa, can we go home now?" Angelique asked in rough, but still understandable Japanese, tugging on Jacqueline's knee-length pencil skirt. "I'm sleepy."

Minoru laughed, stooping down beside his future stepdaughter and affectionately tousling her curly hair. "Okay, Tenshi-chan, we'll be going in a minute," he told her.

"Why don't I take Angelique to the car, Minoru, and we'll wait for you there?" Jacqueline suggested, hoisting the little girl in her arms. Angelique was already yawning, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. "It's her naptime, and she always gets a little cranky when she's tired."

"Sure, that's fine."

Digging into his pockets, Minoru handed his fiancée the keys to his car, and after the two of them said goodbye to the others, Jacqueline and Angelique headed to the cars with Kazuya, who had walked over and offered to round up the brood of rambunctious children playing hide-and-go-seek among the tombstones. Once they were gone, Miyuki and Minoru were the only people left in the cemetery.

Despite herself, Miyuki felt her cheeks burn once again when she realized that fact. It had been a long time since the two of them had been completely alone together, other than the few times at the hospital, which Miyuki didn't really count considering they had both been preoccupied with Rei and Saburo. In fact, if her memory served her correctly, the last time had been right outside that very cemetery on the day of Takara's funeral, and Minoru had tried to comfort her…

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Miyuki?" Minoru asked, startling her from her thoughts. Much to her surprise, Miyuki saw he had moved away from her and was currently standing in front of the Saburo's grave.

"Y-Yes," she stuttered, hesitantly coming up beside him. "A lot has changed over the years.

"You can say that again." Suddenly, he glanced over at Miyuki, giving her a small half-smile. "You really were surprised by our announcement, weren't you?" he asked. "That Jakakuerine and I are getting married and having a baby?"

"That would be an understatement, Minoru-san. To be honest, I never really pictured you as the type who would want to settle down and become a family man."

Minoru shrugged. "I guess, on some level, a family was something I always wanted. You wouldn't believe how jealous I was of Keitaro at times, with a devoted wife and a beautiful daughter he never truly allowed himself to appreciate…" His words trailed off, and Miyuki could tell by the way his jaw was clenched and his green eyes narrowed that he was angered by his best friend's absence that day at the funeral - a feeling she shared, although not quite to the same extreme.

"You're going to make a wonderful father," Miyuki said honestly, bringing the subject back to their original topic. "I saw you with Angelique-chan, and I can tell she absolutely adores you, _Minoru-papa_."

His face instantly brightened at the mention of the little girl, proving the affection between them was mutual. "Tenshi-chan is very special to me, as well as her mother," Minoru admitted. "I love them both very much.

"That much is obvious."

"To be honest, I was a little nervous about you meeting them, though."

Miyuki blinked, surprised by his confession. "Me? I'm nobody important."

"The woman I loved for practically my entire adult life isn't somebody important? I think not."

Streaks of pink painted her cheeks yet again, which Miyuki tried to hide by turning her attention to a pair of handsome crows perched on a nearby memorial. "Minoru-san, that was a long time ago…"

"Time may heal all wounds, but a man never forgets his first love."

Miyuki involuntarily jumped as she felt his hands rest on her arms, but once she realized it was a friendly gesture, free of any ulterior motives, she relaxed and allowed Minoru to turn her back around so that they were face-to-face. "Minoru-san…"

"Miyuki, you don't need to say anything," he said. "It isn't your fault that you couldn't feel the same for me. Like you said to me on your wedding day, we simply weren't meant to be. Your heart belongs to Watanabe-san. You've moved on, and so have I. All I ask it that you feel the same happiness for me and Jakakuerine as I do for you and your husband."

"Of course. Of course I do," she assured him, placing a friendly kiss on his cheek. "I wish you all the happiness in the world!"

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yes, I do. I mean it with all my heart. Yanagazawa-san seems like a delightful woman, and I have no doubt she has what it takes to become Mrs. Uchizawa Minoru."

Minoru scoffed. "Hey, is that such a horrible title?"

"Well, you are an incurable flirt, and you can be somewhat stubborn at times," she teased, enjoying the mildly offended look on Minoru's handsome face, "but you do have a good heart, and your fiancée is lucky to have you."

"Thank you," he said, turning serious once again after the brief moment of playfulness. "It really means a lot to me to have your approval."

Miyuki stared at him, surprised once more, but then smiled back at him. She was quite flattered that he valued her opinion that much. "You do," she repeated, "I can see you two being very happy together."

A cry of disappointment alerted her to the fact that Kazuya had managed to gather the children together, meaning it was time to go. Saying goodbye to each other, the long-time friends headed to the cemetery's entrance and gave each other a final hug before separating and heading to their respective vehicles.

"Hey, Miyuki, there's one more thing I wanted to ask you before you go," Minoru said, causing her to stop on the way to her car and turn back around.

"Yes? What's that?"

"Aren't you even the least bit jealous of Jakakuerine?"

Miyuki laughed and rolled her eyes. "Maybe a little," she answered back, holding up her thumb and forefinger spaced about an inch apart. "But only just a little!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Minoru, you're going too fast."

His foot pressed on the accelerator, ignoring the warnings of the woman beside him.

"Why are you speeding up? Look, the sign says the speed limit is only eighty. You're going to get a ticket."

The odometer currently read ninety kilometers per hour and was steadily rising.

"Are you trying to get us killed? Slow down, now!"

A little more pressure…

"MINORU, _ARRÊTE!_ I'm getting sick!"

Finally, Minoru tapped lightly on the brakes and the car slowed to a somewhat more reasonable speed. He was still speeding by at least five kilometers per hour, but so was everybody else on the road, so it was hardly noticeable. He then glanced over at his fiancée, who was indeed holding her stomach as if she were about to vomit, and his eyes widened in alarm.

"Morning sickness?"

Jacqueline shook her head. "More like carsickness, you _imbécile_ ," she replied, giving him a sharp look that quickly softened when Minoru slowed the car down even more. "But I'll be fine as long as you stop driving like a maniac. Don't worry."

"Sorry, Jakakuerine," Minoru apologized. "I'm just so angry right now!"

"It's fine, _chéri_ ," she assured him. "I know you are upset about your friend's absence at the funeral, but getting into an accident is not the way to deal with your anger."

"I know, I know," Minoru sighed, glancing up at his rearview mirror.

Behind him in the backseat, Angelique was still sleeping peacefully, seemingly unaware of everything around her. Golden curls surrounded her cherubic face like a halo, and her soft pink lips were slightly parted to allow entrance to the thumb she still insisted on sucking even at the age of five.

"How could he not come?" Minoru asked himself in a soft whisper as he gazed upon the angel who would soon become his stepdaughter.

Sometimes, Minoru wondered if he ever knew Keitaro at all. How could he have ignored his own daughter in her time of need? Had his heart truly become that hard, he couldn't even at least attempt a show of support? Minoru hadn't expected much. He wasn't asking Keitaro to become the world's best father, or even the second best. All he had asked was for Keitaro to come to the funeral and give a damn about Rei for once in his life, and the bastard didn't have the courtesy to do even that.

It was the last straw for Minoru. Ten years he had watched father and daughter drift further and further apart and had done nothing, but not anymore. He would not stand on the sidelines and watch two of the people he loved most in the world live their lives in so much pain. Somehow, he would make Keitaro understand what he was doing before it was truly too late.

"Minoru, where are we going?" Jacqueline asked suddenly as Minoru took a right turn at the intersection instead of the left turn that would have taken them in the direction of their apartment.

It had been an involuntary reaction, and Minoru himself didn't even realize he had made the wrong turn until he saw a sign up ahead, reading "Diet Building - 1 Kilometer". They were heading toward Keitaro's office, where no doubt the politician had gone to work instead of coming to the cemetery.

"There's something I need to do," he answered, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he sped up. "Don't worry, this won't take very long. I'm just going to pay an old friend a surprise visit at his office."

"Hino-sama?" she guessed, frowning. "I don't think that's a good idea, Minoru. You're still angry, and you might say or do something you'll regret later. Perhaps it's best you cool down first and think this over before you barge in on your friend."

"I don't want to cool down, Jakakuerine! In fact, I want to be angry when I face Keitaro. Anger might be the only way I can get through to him. I've tried being understanding, and I've tried being impartial, but nothing seems to work!"

"But -"

Her protest was ignored as Minoru pulled into a parking spot in front of the main building and killed the engine. "I need to do this," he declared, exhaling deeply as he took the key out of the ignition. "I've waited far too long. This is something I should have done ages ago, and if I don't do it now, I might not find the nerve to do it again. Keitaro needs to understand what he is doing and face his demons, or else he might lose Rei-chan forever."

"Fine, do as you must," his fiancée said, resting a comforting hand on his knee. "I know you will anyway, whether I think it is a good idea or not. But promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"That you will never change," she answered, leaning over to land a soft kiss on his cheek. "Now, go."

With that piece of encouragement, Minoru hopped out of the red convertible and sprinted up the flight of stairs leading to the entrance, nearly crashing into a poor office lady coming out of the building at the same time he was going in. He stopped only for a moment to offer a mumbled apology and a handful of small bills to pay for the coffee he had accidentally made her spill, then he headed to the elevators, waiting impatiently for one of the doors to slide open.

Moments later, Minoru was on the fourth floor of the building, trying to remember which wing Keitaro's office was located. Accustomed to the twentieth floor governor's office in the former building, he had some difficulty in recalling Keitaro's suite number, but luckily, there was a directory posted nearby. Minoru looked it over and turned down the west wing, eventually coming to a stop in front of the right door.

"I need to see Keitaro," Minoru said upon entering the secretary's office.

The dowdy brunette, who Minoru remembered as the same secretary Keitaro had as governor, glanced up from a stack of forms she was filling out and blushed. She had always had somewhat of a crush on him. "Oh, Uchizawa-san, good afternoon," she greeted him. "I'm afraid Hino-sama is busy at the moment, but if you will wait -"

"Katsuki-san, I need to see him now," he interrupted.

"I'm sorry, that is impossible, sir. He's on the phone with Secretary Matsuno-sama and must not be disturbed."

"I don't care if he is on the phone with the Emperor himself, I need to talk to him right now."

"But -"

Ignoring her protest, Minoru headed to the door.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where the hell were you?"

Minoru's violent outburst as he entered the office came while Keitaro was in the middle of an important phone call. At the sight of his enraged friend, however, Keitaro paused in the middle of his sentence and pressed the receiver against his chest as he turned his attention to his new visitor, as well as his dowdy secretary, who had come in right after Minoru and was standing at the door behind him. At another time, Keitaro might have been angered by the rude interruption, but somehow, he suspected Minoru would pay him a visit today.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir," Miss Katsuki apologized. "I informed Uchizawa-san that you were busy, but I couldn't stop him. He insisted on speaking to you right now and would not leave until he did. Would you like me to call security?"

"It's fine, Katsuki-kun," Keitaro assured his secretary, never taking his eyes off Minoru, who in turn was staring at him with pure fury. "You may go."

The mousy brunette seemed surprised by his decision, but she did as she was told, noiselessly slipping out of the office and closing the door behind her. After she left, Keitaro informed the official he was speaking to on the phone that he would call back at a later time and hung up the receiver.

"Minoru-kun, why are you here?" Keitaro finally asked his best friend, if the redhead could be called that anymore.

Minoru's voice was low and very unfamiliar as he answered, "You know exactly why I'm here, Hino Keitaro. Where were you today?"

"If you are referring to Kondo-sama's funeral, I regret being unable to attend, but I had work to do, and there was no way I could possibly get out of it," he replied calmly, refusing to let Minoru get to him.

"Bull!" Minoru spat, walking over to his desk and planting his hands on the shining surface. "You didn't even try! If you had wanted to come, you would have. The Diet isn't even in session."

"That doesn't mean I have unlimited free time. There's plenty to be done before the next session and -"

"I don't want to hear it! You know as well as I do that you are only using your job as an excuse, just as you have for the past ten years every time something comes up that you don't want to deal with. If you expect me to believe you, then you'll have to come up with a helluva better excuse than that."

"Why do you even care whether or not I attended Kondo-sama's funeral?" Keitaro asked as he walked over to the file cabinet to put some papers away, faintly annoyed by the grilling he was receiving from Minoru. "It is none of your business."

"It is my business because I care about my goddaughter," Minoru shot back. "Rei-chan needed you today. It should have been you comforting her - not me, not Miyuki, not her friends. You are her father!"

"Would you really call me that, Minoru-kun?" Keitaro asked. He roughly closed the drawer after he put the files away and turned toward Minoru. "Would you still say I am Rei-san's father after all that I've done? I'm certain she doesn't see me as such. She no more wanted me at the funeral than I wanted to go myself."

"And how do you know that? Do you have some mind-reading power of which you've failed to inform me?"

"No, don't be ridiculous."

"Well, then explain it to me, Keitaro," he demanded, pounding his fist on the desk. "Explain to me why you are so damn certain Rei-chan wouldn't have been glad to see you at the cemetery today when all she has ever wanted from you ever since she was a little girl is just a morsel of your attention. A morsel!"

"Did she tell you that?" he asked.

Minoru shook his head. "No, she didn't have to tell me anything," he answered. "I can see it in the way she makes every attempt to pretend your absence doesn't bother her in an effort to hide her true feelings. God, you two are so similar at times, it's scary!"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about, Minoru-kun," Keitaro said, sitting back down in his chair. "Rei-san is her mother. She's nothing like me."

"Well, you obviously don't know her very well then. Rei-chan may be the spitting image of Takara-san on the outside, but on the inside, she is her father's daughter, as lonely and distant as you are. Are you aware she's vowed never to marry because she thinks love only leads to heartache in the end?"

"No, I wasn't…" Keitaro was a little shocked, but then he sighed, musing, "…but perhaps it is for the best that she learned that now before it was too late."

"Are you even listening to yourself? Love is not something that should be feared because you are afraid of getting your heart broken. Love is the most powerful and beautiful emotion known to man. You, better than anyone, should know that."

"And why is that?"

"Because you've known it, Keitaro," Minoru answered, his voice losing some of its rough edge. "The love you and Takara-san shared was beautiful, the kind of love that people dream of finding. Now, would you deny Rei-chan, or anybody else, the chance to experience that kind of love, even if it were only for a day, a week, a year?"

"You're wrong," Keitaro said hoarsely. "My love for my wife was never beautiful - it was painful."

"No, it wasn't. Your grief was painful, but never your love."

Keitaro swiveled around in his chair to face the large window behind him, his eyes blankly staring out at the city. The view wasn't nearly as majestic as the one he had enjoyed in the governor's office, but it was still pleasant to eyes, looking out onto the impeccably groomed gardens surrounding the building as skyscrapers dotted the horizon. "Minoru-kun, you shouldn't talk of things you know nothing about," he finally said in a low after a few moments of silence.

"And what makes you think I don't?" Minoru asked. "Believe me, I know exactly what I'm saying. There are things about me that not even you know."

"Like what?"

"It doesn't matter. We aren't talking about me at the moment; we're talking about you and your inability to let anybody into your heart, not even your own daughter."

"It is better this way," Keitaro insisted. "Rei-san was better off with her grandfather and with me out of her life. I would have only hurt her if she'd stayed."

"You hurt her anyway," Minoru declared. "And the pain is much deeper than that caused by an unkind word. When are you going to open your eyes and realize that? When are you going to realize that by pushing Rei-chan away, you've become the one person you vowed never to become?"

Stung deeply by his words, Keitaro abruptly turned back around. "I am nothing like otou-sama."

"You aren't? Look in the mirror, Keitaro. You may not be a drunk, but the pain you both inflicted on your children is the same. Both Keitaro-kun and Rei-chan believed their fathers never loved them."

Keitaro's face went pale at the accusation. He felt as if he had been slapped in the face, the sting of what Minoru said lingering long after the initial impact.

He could forgive Minoru for many things. Keitaro could forgive him for constantly interfering in his life, he could forgive him for being so stubborn, and he could even forgive Minoru for daring to lecture him about family relationships when he had absolutely no experience in being either a husband or a father.

But he could not forgive Minoru for what he had just said.

"Get out, Uchizawa," Keitaro said coolly. "You have said enough. Get out of my office and out of my life. I don't want to see you ever again."

"No, I am not going to leave until I say one last thing."

"Then spit it out and go already. I don't have time to deal with this."

"Fine," Minoru said. "All I wanted to say is that you are a coward, Keitaro, and I swear I will never put my children through the hell you've put Rei-chan through."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, that's all."

"Goodbye, then, Uchizawa-san."

"Goodbye, Keitaro."

Minoru moved to leave and opened the door, but before he exited the office, the redhead added one last thing.

"By the way, I'm getting married next week at the Tokyo Hyatt. You probably don't care anymore, but if you do, then you are free to come if you want."

With that, the door slammed closed behind him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rei-chan, would you like me to go over the will right now, or would you prefer to wait until a later date?" Kazuya asked, walking into the room with a file folder in his hand. It was later that evening, and they had just finished eating supper. "I have the papers right here, but if you don't want to deal with this right now, I completely understand."

"No, that's fine, Watanabe-san," Rei answered, looking over at the lawyer. She wasn't exactly in the mood for the reading of the will, but she might as well get if over with, otherwise she would just keep putting it off. "Please have a seat. Now is as good as time as any, I suppose."

Kazuya joined them at the low table, kneeling down beside his wife, and pulled out the papers. "Well, as to be expected, as Kondo-sama's only living relative, you are the primary beneficiary," he announced after loudly clearing his throat and slipping on a pair of reading glasses. "He left a small amount of money to various charities, but the rest of his estate, including Hikawa and a modest savings, was left to you upon reaching the age of twenty."

"Twenty?" Rei repeated, somewhat confused. "But I am only seventeen. Are you saying I won't receive my inheritance for another three years? What will become of Hikawa until then?"

Kazuya nodded. "According to the law, you cannot legally own the property until coming of age. However, until that time, the shrine will be kept in trust by the executors of the will - in this case, Miyuki and myself."

"Don't worry, Rei-chan," Miyuki assured her. "Kazuya and I will take good care of Hikawa. We know how much it means to you."

"I know, Watanabe-san. Thank you," Rei said softly, returning the small smile Miyuki gave her. She then turned her attention back to Kazuya. "But even though I won't take possession of Hikawa until my twentieth birthday, will I still be able to live here?" she asked.

Husband and wife exchanged glances. "Rei-chan, you are only seventeen," Kazuya began. "Under the law, you are still a minor, and Miyuki and I were given legal guardianship of you by agreement with your father when the will was drawn."

"Legal guardianship? What does that mean? What are you trying to say?"

"What Kazuya is trying to say is that… Well, you'll be coming back with us to Nagano," Miyuki explained.

"Nagano?" Rei sat back. She couldn't hide her shock, and her eyes moved from one face to the other. "I have to leave Tokyo? But what about my friends? I can't leave them."

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan."

"Isn't there some way out of this?" Rei asked desperately. Then realizing how rude she must have sounded, she blushed. "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to live with you. I really appreciate the offer, but I don't want to be a burden. You have enough children underfoot without dealing with another."

As if right on cue, Reika and Fumie came running through the room, dressed in their pajamas, with Takara right on their tail, wearing one of the traditional masks Rei had given him to play with. The two girls screamed as their brother growled and leaped, pretending to be a horrible demon, then ran back to the other room.

Miyuki chuckled. "We do have a full house, but you know we always have room for one more. We wouldn't have accepted if we didn't want you."

"I know, but I can't leave," Rei insisted. "I don't want to leave Tokyo or my friends."

"I understand how you feel, Rei-chan. I know it's hard to move to a new place, but…"

"Please, Watanabe-san. There must be another way."

The blonde sighed. "Well, I suppose you could move in with Minoru-san. He adores you, and I know he would be happy to have you."

"But Uchizawa-san's starting a family now. I couldn't intrude," Rei said, remembering Miyuki's announcement of Minoru's engagement and his fiancée's pregnancy over dinner.

Miyuki glanced over at her husband, hesitating before she asked, "What about your father, then?"

"No, otou-sama doesn't want me," Rei said bitterly. "If he had wanted custody of me in the event of ojii-san's death, otou-sama wouldn't have agreed to let him name you as guardians in his will."

"Rei-chan…"

Upset, Rei rose from her seat at the table and went over to one of the panels, sliding it open to reveal a dark, cloudy sky. It was appropriate, considering her current mood.

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Miyuki apologized, coming up behind her.

"It's not your fault, Watanabe-san," Rei said. "If only there was some way I could live by myself, like Mako-chan…" Her eyes lit up, and she turned back around, surprised she hadn't thought of it before. "That's it! I can have myself emancipated and declared an adult."

"Emancipated? Rei-chan, that is a very serious step. Are you sure that's something you want to consider?"

"It's the best solution. One of my friends was emancipated a couple of years ago when her parents died, and she has been living on her own for a while now. If she can do it, I know I can, too. I can stay here at the shrine, and since I would be an adult in the eyes of the law, I would be able to accept my inheritance, right?"

Over at the table, Kazuya nodded. "Yes, Rei-chan, if you were declared an adult, you would not have to wait until turning twenty to take ownership of Hikawa, but Miyuki is right. Emancipation is a drastic measure and should not be taken lightly. If emancipation was granted, Hino-sama would no longer be legally required to financially support you. You would have to support yourself, and while you do have some money from both your mother and grandfather's estates, it is only a modest amount. Even with emancipation, you would not be granted access to the trust fund set up by your parents until the age of twenty-five."

"I don't care. I know it will be difficult, but I can do this - I know I can."

"Rei-chan…"

"I can't leave here. Hikawa is my home."

"If you are truly serious about going through with this, then I will draw up the papers for you, Rei-chan," Kazuya offered. "However, Miyuki and I both urge you to consider all your options before making a final decision on the matter."

Rei had no such intention of doing so, already knowing she had made the right decision, but promised her would-be guardians that she would. "Fine, I'll think about it," she said, closing the panel she had opened before heading to her bedroom.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minako, sitting at her vanity later that night, sighed as she set down her trademark red bow on the table, her blue eyes falling on the nearby cat-shaped telephone. It had been hours since she arrived home from the funeral and Hikawa, but she still couldn't stop worrying.

"If you want to call her, why don't you just go ahead and do it, Mina-chan?" her guardian cat Artemis finally suggested, hopping on her bed and stretching as he went through his usual nighttime rituals. Both knew exactly which "her" he was referring to without naming names. "You keep on looking at that phone as if you were Usagi-chan eyeing the last of Mako-chan's cookies."

"No, I better not," she said, reaching for her brush and pulling it through her long blonde hair. "It's pretty late, and it has been a long day. Rei-chan is probably already asleep by now anyway."

Artemis looked over at the Sailor V alarm clock, his whiskers twitching as he saw it was only 9:30. "It's not that late. You've called her house later than this plenty of times before."

"I know, but tonight's…different."

"You never know, Mina-chan. Maybe Rei-chan would like somebody to talk to through this difficult time."

Snorting, Minako motioned with her finger for the white tomcat to turn around and began changing into her favorite pair of pink-and-white striped pajamas. "I doubt that, Artemis."

"Why is that?" he asked. "And why must you insist I not watch anymore while you change? It never used to bother you before."

"That was before I knew you were a shape shifter from the planet Mau," she explained, purposely ignoring his first question as she buttoned her top. "To think all those years I gave you a free peep show, thinking you were just a dumb cat, and I find out you really are a human in your real form. You are such a perv, Artemis!"

"I am not - Hey, who are you calling a 'dumb cat'?"

"You."

Offended, Artemis stuck his chin high in the air and wrapped his tale regally around his body. "I'll have you know, Princess Venus, my people were highly intelligent creatures, almost as smart as the Mercurians."

"Oh, really? I guess the genes must have skipped a generation then," Minako teased, laughing at the way his fur bristled along his back. It was really too fun to get him riled up. "Dumb cat! Dumb cat!"

"Well, at least I'm prettier than you in human form," he shot back, causing Minako's jaw to drop nearly to the floor. "That's right, Mina-chan. Why would I want to look at you in your naked glory when you're nothing but a pathetic excuse for the goddess of love and beauty?"

Stalking over to the bed, Minako grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and held him so they were eye-to-eye. "You wanna say that again, buster?" she said in what she hoped was her most threatening voice. "I have no qualms with kicking you out for the night, you know. It might do you some good to have to fend for yourself against the neighborhood alley cats. I heard they don't take to kindly to pampered house pets…"

Faced with the threat of eviction for the night, the squirming cat changed his tune real fast. "Forgive me, Minako-sama," he apologized. "I was wrong. You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman in all of Japan. No, in all the world! No, in all the galaxy! There are no words to describe your beauty. You truly are the goddess Venus incarnate. You -"

"Okay, okay, you don't have to go overboard," she laughed, setting Artemis back down on her bed before crawling underneath the covers. "I guess you're not such a dumb cat, after all."

"Gee, thanks. I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"Oh, don't get your tail in a knot, Artemis. You know I was only kidding," Minako said, reaching over and rubbing him behind his ears. "Now, go to sleep. Good night."

"Good night, Mina-chan. Pleasant dreams."

Rolling onto her side, Minako turned off the lamp on her nightstand and tried to fall asleep - the operative word being "tried". While Artemis had no problems getting to sleep, his loud, satisfied purrs on the other side of the bed indicating he was probably in the middle of one of his naughty little fantasies, Minako tossed and turned, unable to close her eyes for more than a couple of minutes without looking over at the phone. Quite frankly, she was surprised her white-haired guardian could sleep so peacefully while she was thrashing about.

"Pervert!" she hissed, giving the cat a little nudge with her foot. In response, Artemis only whipped his tail around a couple of times before settling back down as if he had never been disturbed in the first place. Annoyed, Minako huffed, and knowing full well she wasn't going to get to sleep any time soon, threw off her covers.

 _Maybe I should call Rei-chan_ , Minako thought as she sat up. It was obvious the only way she was going to get any sleep at all was if she knew how her best friend was coping with what had happened earlier that day. But after what happened at the shrine after the funeral, Minako suspected she was probably the last person with whom Rei wanted to talk. Rei certainly hadn't been too thrilled with her attempts at comfort that afternoon.

Why was she being so stubborn about going through her grief alone? Minako simply didn't understand. For as long as she had known the miko, Rei had always been a strong person, but wasn't there a saying that said something along the lines that a strong person knew when to ask for help when they needed it? There was no good reason for Rei to have to deal with her grandfather's death by herself when she had plenty of friends who were perfectly willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on, Minako's name at the top of the list.

"I'm going to do it," Minako finally decided, throwing her legs over edge of the bed and sliding her feet into a pair of fuzzy, heart-printed slippers. "Rei-chan might not like it, but I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't at least try. What's the worse that can happen, anyway? She'll hang up? I've dealt with worse."

Determined, she made her way over to the phone sitting on the vanity and reached for the receiver. At the same time, however, the phone unexpectedly rang. Minako jumped in surprise, nearly dropping the wireless receiver she held in her hand, but quickly regained her wits enough to answer.

"Hello? Aino residence."

"Minako-chan? It's me," a familiar female voice said, causing Minako's blue eyes to widen. "I hope I didn't wake you. I know it is late."

"Rei-chan! No, not at all. In fact, I was just about to call you when the phone rang. That's so freaky!"

"Only coincidence," the miko said calmly as Minako sat down. "So, why were you going to call me?"

"Oh…um…I just wanted to check on you, see how you were handling things."

"I'm fine."

"Are you really, Rei-chan?" Minako asked, idly twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "I know it must be tough, the first night after the burial…"

"Really, I am. I feel much better now. I had a long talk with an old friend after you left, and he really helped me understand some things."

Minako's eyebrow arched. "Him?" she asked. "Do you mean Uchizawa-san?"

"No, actually, it was Kaidou Ace-san," Rei answered.

"Kaidou-sama? The governor of Tokyo? The guy you were totally in love with before he got engaged to that other girl?" Minako didn't know if she was more surprised that Rei had sought comfort from a man other than Minoru, or that the man was none other the guy who had broken her heart all those years ago and caused her to swear off love.

"He showed up at Hikawa a little after you left to offer his condolences," Rei explained. "His visit was rather unexpected and very awkward at first, but we did manage to have a nice, long talk. It was wonderful to see him again."

"That's great…I guess," Minako said, unable to hide the small amount of jealousy she felt over the fact that Rei had chosen to confide in the man who had hurt her so badly instead of her best friend who loved her almost more than anything.

Rei didn't fail to catch the tone of her voice, sighing. "Minako-chan, please don't take it personally. Kaidou-san… Well, he lost his own grandfather last year, and I felt he could understood the guilt I felt better than anybody else."

"Guilt? Why did you feel guilty?" she asked, confused. "It wasn't your fault Kondo-sama died, Rei-chan."

"I know that, now. I just needed to hear it from somebody who had gone through a similar experience and wasn't trying to simply make me feel better. Can you understand that?"

"Yeah, I guess I understand," Minako said. "So, why did you call?

"Oh… I just wanted to…apologize for the way I've been treating you and the others lately. You were only trying to help, and I had no right to act the way I did."

"No, Rei-chan, you had every right in the world. You wanted to be left alone, and I didn't respect that. I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you."

"Why don't we call it a truce?" she suggested. "Friends?"

Minako smiled, glad that the situation between them was over. "Friends forever."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, after undressing and pulling on the pair of worn flannel pajama bottoms he wore every night to sleep, Minoru sat on the edge of his bed, thinking about what had happened earlier that day.

Things had not gone well at all. He should have known it was a bad idea to talk to Keitaro when he was so angry. Minoru couldn't believe he had said such horrible things to somebody he once considered his best friend. Keitaro had done some hurtful things in regards to his daughter in the past, yes, but he hadn't deserved what Minoru had said about his father. That had been plain cruel, especially when Minoru recalled Keitaro's secret visit to the hospital the day Saburo died - something that had conveniently slipped his mind in his anger over his friend's absence at the funeral. Hino Takeo never would have done something like that. But why had Keitaro refused to attend the funeral? He just didn't understand.

"I finished tucking Angelique in for the night," a familiar voice said, breaking him from his thoughts. "Sorry it took so long, but she insisted on finishing the chapter… Minoru, is something wrong?"

Minoru craned his neck around to see a gorgeous woman standing in the doorway, dressed in a black satin chemise and matching robe. "It's nothing," he insisted. "I was only thinking."

"About today?" The springs of the mattress lightly squeaked as Jacqueline joined him on the bed, coming up behind him and wrapping her slender arms around his bare torso. "You've been awfully quiet ever since we came home after your visit with Hino-sama. Did things go badly between you two?"

That was the understatement of the year.

"You could say that," Minoru answered with a sigh. "I royally messed things up this time. Perhaps you were right, Jakakuerine. I shouldn't have confronted Keitaro when I was still so angry with him for not coming to the funeral. It would have been better if I had let myself cool down first and planned what I wanted to say to him."

"What's done is done, _chéri_ , and you thought you were doing the right thing at the time," she said. "Your heart was in the right place. So, what happened?"

"Oh, we got into a huge argument, and I said some things I probably shouldn't have said," Minoru told her, shaking his head regretfully. "I didn't mean to hurt him like that. I only wanted to make him see what he was doing to Rei-chan."

"People say things they regret all the time, especially in the heat of the moment, Minoru. Hino-sama probably understands you were upset and that you really didn't mean what you said. Apologize to him and -"

"No, I don't think an apology will work this time. I've said some pretty rotten things to him on occasion, and Keitaro has always forgiven me before, but he won't forgive me for this. I went too far. Do you know what he said to me before I left?"

Jacqueline shook her head. "No, what did he say?"

"He said he wanted me out of his life, and that he never wanted to see me ever again." Minoru shuddered, the memory of the coldness in his friend's voice as he said those words chilling him. "Nearly forty years of friendship, and it ends like this. I invited him to the wedding right before I left, hoping even after all that I said, we might be able to talk things over, but he won't come. It's over. And worst of all, it was all for nothing. I wasn't able to make him see the truth. All I did was cause him pain and invoke his anger."

"Oh, Minoru…"

Jacqueline tightened her embrace around his waist and rested her cheek on his shoulder, her body wonderfully warm against his. Normally, Minoru would have responded as he usually did to her touch, but for now, he only took comfort in her reassuring presence. Her lavender perfume soothed him, and he placed his hands on top of hers, letting her know that he appreciated her gesture.

Finally, however, Jacqueline pulled away, but not before she landed a kiss on his shoulder where her cheek had lay. "Come, let's go to bed," she said, the mattress shifting underneath him as she moved over to her side of the bed. "It's late, and it has been a long day. We're both tired."

"Yeah," Minoru agreed. He hadn't realized how tired he was until he caught himself stifling a yawn.

Crawling underneath the blankets, he wrapped a protective arm around his fiancée's waist and was reminded of the new life growing inside her, the life they had created. He smiled and gently rubbed Jaqueline's still-flat stomach.

"Goodnight, chibi-chan," he whispered before drifting off to sleep.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keitaro was dreaming.

Or at least that was what he assumed. He could think of no other explanation for what he saw - him sitting behind the desk in his darkened study, going over some paperwork with the Tiffany desk lamp providing the only illumination he needed. But the man in his chair wasn't him, for he was looking at the scene from an outsider's view, as if he was having an out of body experience.

Was he dying? No, that wasn't it. The vision he saw was very much alive. The blond man's stone gray eyes were moving across the page, right to left, as he read the document, and every once in a while, he would stop to mark something with his pen or to flip to the next section. If he were having a true out of body experience, wouldn't his body be comatose?

No, he was most definitely dreaming, and what happened next only proved his theory.

As the man - his dream self - continued working, the door to the office slowly creaked open, and the room was brightened by the light that filtered in from the hallway through the crack. There was somebody there, but his dream self didn't seem to notice the presence, and his real self could only make out the shadow of what appeared to be a young girl, her identity hidden from his view behind the door.

Who was she? And why was she spying on him?

The first question was answered when, finally, the girl gathered enough courage to speak. "Otou-sama?" she said, her voice very timid as she pushed the door open a little more. "Otou-sama, it's me."

Both he and his dream self glanced over at the door, and the identity of the visitor was revealed. As he had guessed, she was a young girl, no older than six or seven, with long, ebony hair pulled back with a red headband and dark purple eyes that some might have called amethyst, although they failed to sparkle with their usual vibrancy. She wore a plaid dress, one he faintly recalled as being one of her favorites, and white tights, and held a ragged teddy bear in her left arm.

"Rei-san…" his dream self said hoarsely as if it pained him to say the name aloud. "Why are you here? You know I'm working. Go play with Yukana-san."

"But I want to play with you, otou-sama," the young Rei said. "We never play together. You're always too busy."

"I have a very important job, Rei-san. I don't have time to play."

"That's what you always say," the girl pouted. "You never had time for anyone, not even for okaa-sama. She was always so sad when you pushed her away. Why do you keep running away from us?"

His dream self responded by returning to his reading, seemingly unaffected by the accusations his daughter threw at him. "I'm not running away," he replied off-handedly, not taking her words seriously. "Now, go find someone else to play with. I'm busy."

But the little girl didn't leave. She stayed exactly where she was, her eyes watery and her bottom lip trembling as she struggled to hold back her tears. His dream self paid her no attention, but he was surprised when he felt something stir inside him - an empathic feeling he knew well, a feeling that was reflected in Rei's eyes.

The pain of rejection.

"You hurt her, Keitaro," a familiar voice echoed through the room as a man with red hair entered the room and took the child in his arms to comfort her. "When are you going to open your eyes and realize that? When are you going to realize that by pushing Rei-chan away, you've become the one person you vowed never to become?"

"But I didn't mean to hurt her!" he found himself saying as his dream self continued to ignore his visitors. "I didn't want to hurt her. That's why I pushed her away, why I pushed everyone away."

"Is that true?" Minoru asked. Apparently, his friend was able to hear him, although to his knowledge, he had no physical form of which to speak. "Or were you simply afraid?"

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Afraid to love her because you feared you would lose her too? Afraid you would make the same mistakes your father made? Afraid of the pain her resemblance to Takara-san made you feel?"

Keitaro reeled from the questions. It was so close to the truth that he couldn't reply. He was stunned, and as Minoru continued, he found himself unable to interrupt.

"You are a coward, Keitaro, just like your father was. He might have lost himself to the bottle while you lost yourself in your work, but when it comes right down to it, you are the same. You both used your addictions as an excuse not to deal with your feelings of grief. Can't you see?"

"No," he whispered, although it was more a denial of what Minoru had said than a response to the question he had asked. "I am not otou-sama. I'm stronger than him. You're wrong."

"No, I'm right, and you know it," Minoru said, kissing the top of Rei's head. The little girl had fallen asleep in his arms, her tear-streaked face buried in his shoulder. "You've known the truth for a long time, yet you allowed yourself to deny it by insisting everything you had done was for Rei-chan's sake. Well, it's time to face the truth, or you risk losing her as well. Then you will truly be alone."

"Maybe I want to be alone."

"Is that what you want?" Minoru asked. "I don't think it is. You don't want to be alone; nobody wants to be alone. Some people might think they do, but in their heart of hearts, all they really want is love. They're afraid of it, though, just like you are, Keitaro. You're afraid of rejection, and you're afraid of loss, but if you want to be happy again, you need to face your fears."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Minoru…" he said softly, although if he were being truly honest with himself, he knew what Minoru was saying was the truth.

"No? Tell me something, then. What is your happiest memory?"

Happiest memory? Happy? The word was a foreign term in his vocabulary. He hadn't felt the emotion in so long, he'd forgotten what it felt like. Maybe he had never been happy at all…

But that wasn't true.

He remembered a marina at sunset.

He was walking along a pier with a beautiful girl, and she suddenly ran off, urging him to follow her. The two of them went down to the beach below and took off their shoes to play in the waves that crashed against the shore. She was like a sprite, laughing and screaming as she ran away from the lapping water, and he couldn't help but join her in her frolicking, thinking she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

But then she had a dizzy spell, and he had caught her in his arms before she fell. How light and delicate she had felt, like a fragile butterfly! His only thought had been to protect her, but how ironic it was. She hadn't been the one who needed protecting. Not at all. It was he who had needed the protection, for when she kissed him, he let down his guard and allowed her into his heart…

"Takara," he whispered, the memory fading away. "My happiest memory is the moment I realized I loved her."

Minoru smiled, pleased with that answer. "Don't you see now?" he pressed. "Don't you see you will never be happy unless you are willing to take a chance? That's what happened when you met Takara-san. She made you happy until you pushed her away in fear. Remember the happy times you had together?"

"But when she died -"

"Stop focusing on the pain, Keitaro," Minoru ordered harshly, but not without a gleam of sympathy. "You have to let it go. Takara-san wouldn't want you to be like this. Most of all, she wanted you and Rei-chan to be happy. Do you think this is what she wanted?"

"But what if I can't?" he asked. "What if I can't let go?"

"Then you will lose us."

Indeed, he could already see Minoru and Rei fading away, their bodies as transparent as ghosts. They were disappearing, and there was nothing he could do about it. He tried to reach out to them, but without a body, it was pointless. All he could do was watch while his dream self continued working at the desk, oblivious, as the two eventually vanished into thin air...

And then Keitaro woke up, gasping for air.

"Minoru! Rei! No!"

It took Keitaro a few seconds after his sudden outburst before he realized he was back in reality, sitting at his desk in his study with a stack of completed paperwork in front of him. He must have fallen asleep after he finished with his work.

"What time is it?" he mumbled to himself as he glanced down at his watch and tried to make out the time in the dark.

It was nearly two in the morning, long past the time he usually went up to bed. Keitaro frowned, wondering why his housekeeper hadn't bothered to wake him up before she left for the day as she usually did when he worked late in his study. She, unlike Mrs. Yukana, rarely, if ever, let him sleep in there, and was quick to scold him for doing so, saying his office was not a bedroom and shouldn't be treated as one. He didn't ponder on the mystery for long, though, remembering the dream he had just woken up from.

The dream was different from the ones he normally had concerning his father, but in a way, very much the same, with only the roles of the key players being switched around. Young Rei could easily have been his younger self, and Minoru had played the role of Uncle Wataru almost to perfection, but it was the casting of himself as his father that disturbed Keitaro the most.

He blamed it on Minoru and what his former best friend had said to him earlier that day at his Diet office. Those painful and hurtful words still were echoing in his head, and if it wasn't for the fact that he would be proving Minoru right, Keitaro would have most likely given into his earlier temptation to break into the liquor cabinet and drink himself into a blissful oblivion.

As it was, he was currently eyeing the locked doors with longing, imagining how nice it would be to forget, at least for a little while…

Keitaro shook his head and swiveled around in his chair so he was no longer looking at the cursed cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind. He was stronger than that.

Unfortunately, the old saying proved false, and in truth, only fueled his desire for the wicked potion. Keitaro soon found himself rising from his chair and digging in one of his desk drawers for the new key he had made when he had the locks fixed. It was easy to find, and when he found it, he held the key up to the sliver of moonlight that filtered into the room though the window, inspecting the small object as if it were a thing of beauty.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. It was actually quite ordinary, a simple key made of silver which shone dimly in the light of the moon. It was surprisingly heavy in his hands, though, considering its size, and Keitaro held it in his palm, weighing the consequences of what he was about to do.

What did it matter anymore? What was the point in fighting something that was obviously genetic? The truth was that Minoru had been right. He was his father, so why shouldn't he complete the transformation? It would be so easy…

Decided, Keitaro clasped his fingers around the silver key and started toward the cabinet.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Rei awoke with a start, surprised when she opened her eyes to the sight of the alarm clock beside her futon reading 8:12 AM.

"Oh, no, I overslept!" she gasped, silently cursing the contraption as she struggled to sit up and get out of bed to get dressed.

Why hadn't the stupid alarm gone off? She could have sworn she set it the night before as she always did before going to bed. Oh, she was going to be so behind on her morning chores…

"Rei-onee-san?" a drowsy voice said. "Why are you getting out of bed so early? It's summer break. There's no school this week."

Startled by the presence of another person in her room, Rei stopped in the middle of undressing and twirled back around to see six-year-old Watanabe Fumie laying on her bed. The little girl had propped herself on her side and was rubbing the sleep out of her cocoa eyes.

"Fumie-chan?" she asked, blinking at the sight of the girl and her sleeping sister on the futon. Rei, who had yet to completely wake up, was confused. "What are you doing here?"

Fumie gave Rei a funny look. "Don't you remember? You said me and onee-chan could sleep in here because your ojii-san's room wasn't big enough for all of us."

"Ojii-san's room…?"

Repeating the words, Rei slowly began to remember what had happened, and she brought her hand to her mouth as she slid down on the bamboo-covered floors, overcome by her emotions.

That was right. Her grandfather had died, and yesterday had been his funeral. How could she have possibly forgotten that horrible day?

"Rei-onee-san, are you okay?" Fumie asked, crawling out of the futon to give her honorary big sister a hug.

Rei nodded, forcing herself to give the girl a small smile even as she wiped away the tear that somehow managed to roll down her cheek without her permission. "I'm fine, Fumie-chan," she lied. "I just forgot that my ojii-san isn't here anymore, that's all."

"Are you sad that he's gone? Mama said it's okay if you are. She says lots of people are sad when people they care about go away."

"Yes, I'm a little sad, but I'll be okay. Really," Rei insisted, brushing back some of the hair that had fallen out of Fumie's messy black braid behind her ear. She really was a cute little girl. "Now, why don't you go back to bed since you and Reika-chan don't have to get up for another hour? Okay? I have to get ready to do my chores."

Rei went over to her closet to pull out her usual red-and-white miko's robes, but instead of going back to bed as she had been told, Fumie followed her and tugged on Rei's pajama bottoms. "But Mama said you didn't have to do your chores today," Fumie announced. "She said you needed to rest and that she would take care of everything that needed to be done."

"When did Watanabe-san say that?" Rei asked, still going through her clothes.

"When she snuck in here last night and turned off your alarm. I heard her come in, and when I asked her what she was doing, she told me that she wanted you to sleep in, although she made me promise to keep it a secret…" Gasping, Fumie clamped her hands over her mouth. "Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that!"

So, that was why her alarm hadn't gone off that morning… Despite how she was feeling, Rei couldn't help but giggle. "It's okay, Fumie-chan," she said, affectionately tousling the girl's hair. "I won't tell if you won't. It'll be our little secret."

"You're not mad?"

"No, of course not. Now, go back to bed before Watanabe-san suspects something is up."

Nodding, Fumie headed back to the futon to try to get a few more minutes of sleep, and Rei quickly finished dressing in her robes. She then headed to the kitchen where she found Miyuki already busy preparing breakfast while toddler Kado happily munched on a bowl of Cheerios in his nearby high chair.

"Good morning, Watanabe-san, Kado-chan," Rei greeted them, attempting to put on a cheerful face and failing miserably.

Hearing her enter the room, Miyuki briefly turned away from the eggs she was scrambling at the stove and frowned. "Oh, Rei-chan, what are you doing up so early?" she asked. "I thought you might like to sleep in today."

"There's no such thing as 'sleeping in' when you live at Hikawa, Watanabe-san," Rei answered, pausing for a moment to make a funny face at Kado. "There are chores to be done, and I have really gotten behind over the last few days."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that. Kazuya and Takara-kun are taking care of your duties for today. In fact, they've already gotten most of the morning chores completed."

"Everything is already done?" Rei asked, going over to one of the panels and sliding it open so she could see outside. Sure enough, father and son were occupied with sweeping the courtyard, normally one of the last things to do on her list of morning duties. Sighing, Rei slumped her shoulders and closed the panel. "I guess there's nothing for me to do, then, is there?"

"You make that sound like a bad thing, Rei-chan," Miyuki lightly teased as she returned to her cooking. "Most girls your age would love the chance to be excused from their chores. I thought you would be grateful for the day off. It'll give you the chance to… Well, to deal with things."

Rei appreciated the gesture, but what Miyuki didn't understand was that working at the shrine _was_ her way to deal with things. Whenever things were rough at school or she was stressed after a battle, she could always depend on the comfort and familiarity of throwing herself into her miko duties to help her forget, at least for a little while. It helped her remain grounded when the rest of her world was in chaos.

However, since Kazuya and Takara would be taking care of her chores for the day, that was not an option this time. Rei had no idea what she would do with her free time. She simply could not lounge around the shrine all day, doing nothing but thinking about the events of the last few days. It would drive her insane. She had to do something, anything, to get her mind focused on something other than the huge, gaping hole in her heart.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" Rei inquired, almost pleading. "Even if Watanabe-san and Takara-kun are taking over my normal chores, there has to be something. What if I take the kids off your hands and take them to the zoo? You would love that, wouldn't you, Kado-chan? Want to see some pretty animals?"

The little boy in the high chair gleefully clapped his hands together and squealed, "Me like animables!"

"I don't know, Rei-chan…" Miyuki replied doubtfully. "That's an awfully big job for only one person. Even one of them can be a handful, and you're talking about taking all five. Why don't you stay here and relax? Or maybe you can go see your friends. I'm sure they are probably concerned about you."

"Concerned about me?" Resting her elbows on the counter, Rei sighed again as she watched the older woman begin on a batch of bacon. "Why would they be worried about me? I'm fine. Really, I am. I just wish everybody would stop walking on eggshells around me."

"Rei-chan, don't do that."

"Do what?" she asked.

"Pretend that nothing's wrong," Miyuki said, wiping her hands on a nearby towel after she finished putting the last slice of bacon into the pan. "You buried your grandfather's ashes yesterday, sweetie, and I know that wasn't easy for you. It'll be a long time before you'll ever be completely 'fine' again. Even after all this time, I still haven't really gotten over Takara's death, so I know you certainly haven't healed in one day."

"But when okaa-sama died, it was different," Rei argued. "We didn't know she was going to die. This time, we knew there was a chance that ojii-san wouldn't beat the cancer, so I was prepared for his death." That wasn't the truth, but she was willing to say anything if it meant she wouldn't have to talk about what happened.

Fortunately, although Rei knew Miyuki didn't believe her, the blonde's face softened and she surrendered to her wishes. "Okay, I can take a hint," Miyuki sighed. "You don't want to talk about what happened. I still don't like you keeping all your feelings bottled up inside like this, but I won't force you to talk if you don't want to."

"Thanks, Watanabe-san."

"However," she continued, "I do think it would do you some good to take the next few days off. Visit your friends, read some manga, or even go off by yourself for a few hours. Things are kind of crazy around here with the kids and all, so if you want to disappear and get away from it all, I don't mind as long as you're back by dinner."

"Maybe I will," Rei reluctantly agreed, thinking it might be a good idea to get away from the shrine and all of the memories it contained for a little while.

Satisfied, Miyuki smiled and kissed her forehead with motherly affection before turning her attention back to the sizzling bacon. "Breakfast will be ready in about another fifteen minutes, so why don't you wake up Fumie-chan, Reika-chan, and Shigure-kun and help them dress?"

Rei nodded and headed back to her bedroom to wake up the girls for breakfast.

About an hour later, after she insisted on helping Miyuki with the breakfast dishes, Rei changed out of her robes and into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She decided a change of scenery would be nice after all, so she headed outside and began walking toward the bus stop, unsure of where she wanted to go, but knowing any place else would be better than Hikawa.

As it turned out, she found herself getting off at a familiar apartment building and heading up to the fifth floor, apartment 515. Rei knocked and waited for someone to answer.

"Rei-chan?"

Emerald green eyes widened in surprise as Kino Makoto opened the door and saw Rei standing outside. The tall Amazon was dressed in rather grungy clothes, wearing a pair of worn jean overalls over a green-and-white striped T-shirt, and she had tied a yellow bandana over her naturally curly auburn hair. In her left hand was a raggedy washcloth covered with dust.

"Oh, Mako-chan, I didn't mean to come over unannounced," Rei apologized, taking in her friend's apparel. "I can see you're busy. I'll come back some other time…"

Rei turned to leave but was stopped by a gentle hand on her arm. "Don't be ridiculous," Makoto said, leading her inside. "You know you and the other girls are always welcome here. I was just in the middle of some light summer cleaning."

"Light" was a subjective term. Taking in the sight of Makoto's usually immaculate living room overrun by boxes and clothes, Rei arched an eyebrow. "This is what you call 'light' cleaning? I'd hate to see what happens around here before New Year's…"

Shrugging, Makoto moved some of the clutter off her couch so they would have a place to sit down. "Well, I've been meaning to get rid of some of this stuff for a while," she explained. "I figured this would be a good time, since school is out and I don't have much homework this vacation."

"Would you like some help?" Rei asked, folding a red sweater she found on the floor.

"Rei-chan, I can't possibly ask you to do that! You're my guest. It wouldn't be right."

"You're not asking. I'm offering."

"But -"

"Please, Mako-chan, I want to help," Rei insisted, placing the folded sweater on top of the stack Makoto had already started on top of the coffee table. "I _need_ to help."

Makoto still looked hesitant, but perhaps understanding what Rei was trying to do, she finally agreed. "Okay," she said softly as she rolled up her sleeves. "If you really want to help, let's get to work on these boxes."

"Sure. What do you want me to do?" Rei asked, kneeling down beside a large box of shoes.

"Anything that is broken, doesn't fit, or you don't think I need anymore should be set aside, and I'll go through them later to make the final decisions. Everything else should be placed into the appropriate new box." Makoto motioned toward the neat line of half-filled cardboard boxes in the middle of the room, most of them clearly marked with words like "Books", "Clothes" (separate boxes for winter and summer), and "Sports". "I have most of them labeled already, but if you don't know which one to use for something, just put it in one of the blank miscellaneous boxes and we'll deal with those later. Oh, and if it is something breakable, be sure to wrap it in the bubble wrap I have near the 'Glass' box. I think that's about it. Sound simple enough?"

Rei nodded her understanding and immediately got to work on the box of shoes, grateful for the chance to focus on something other than what had happened.

The two girls worked long and hard through the afternoon, going through all of Makoto's things and packing everything that would be put back in storage. Very little was actually thrown away or set aside for charity other than the occasional article of clothing which Makoto had obviously outgrown or things that were broken beyond repair. Rei wondered why Makoto was even bothering going through the old boxes if she had little intention of loosening her packrat tendencies, but she wasn't complaining. It felt nice to be able to lose herself in her work, and best of all, Makoto didn't push her to talk about her grandfather, although Rei caught her friend staring at her every once in a while, sympathy in her dark green eyes.

A few hours later, after most of the old boxes had been emptied, Makoto stood up and stretched. "I think it is about time for a break, don't you?" she asked. "We've been working non-stop for almost four hours. Why don't I brew us some tea, and then we can have a little snack. Do cookies sound okay to you, Rei-chan?"

"Sure, that sounds fine," Rei agreed, also standing from her spot on the floor and patting the dust off her hands before she grabbed the final small box and sat down on the more comfortable, floral-printed couch. "Let me just finish going through this one while you make the tea. Then I'll help you clean up this place after the break."

"Okay."

Makoto headed toward the kitchen, which was separated from the living room only by a long bar counter complete with stools, to start the tea, while Rei pulled open the box, barely holding back a gasp when she saw what was inside.

Unlike the other boxes, which had for the most part been filled with the usual things like dishes, knickknacks, and clothes, the box Rei held contained pictures, diaries, and other small, seemingly insignificant items that must have had some meaning to whoever they belonged for the person to have kept them. Rei blushed, embarrassed to have come across something so personal, but something kept her from turning away. She instead continued looking through the things, reaching for a framed portrait laying on top.

The photograph was of a young, thirty-something couple standing side-by-side. The man towered over the woman beside him by practically a foot and had dark hair and light blue eyes. His partner, dressed in a frilly pink dress, wore her long auburn hair off to the side in a braid and had somehow familiar green eyes. They were both smiling and seemed very much in love.

"Are these your parents, Mako-chan?" Rei asked, curious, realizing too late that she probably should have put the picture away and not have said a word. She didn't want Makoto to think she was a snoop.

Fortunately, Makoto didn't appear too upset about Rei going through her personal things. Looking over the counter at the picture Rei held up, she nodded, a small, yet melancholic, smile on her face. "Yeah, before they died," she answered. "Where did you find it?"

"In this box. I'm sorry I went through your private things without permission, Mako-chan. I didn't know…"

The teapot on the stove began to whistle, interrupting Rei's apology. "It's okay, Rei-chan," Makoto assured her as she turned her attention to the tea. "I don't mind. If there was something in there I didn't want you to see, I would have told you to leave it for me when you offered to go through it."

Confused, Rei set the box aside and took a seat at the counter, still holding the picture in her hand. "You mean, you wanted me to look in there?" she asked. "But why?"

"I didn't plan for you to find it, but I thought if you did happen to come across that box, it might help."

"Help? Help what?"

Makoto shook her head. "Oh, never mind. It was a silly idea," she said, bringing her beautiful porcelain tea set over to the counter and preparing to serve. "Cookies?"

"Yes, please." Rei placed the picture frame on the counter and accepted the delicately painted teacup Makoto handed to her, along with two large cookies. "Mmm, these look delicious, Mako-chan. What kind are they?"

"Double chocolate chip with macadamia nuts. It was Mama's recipe."

"Your mother's?"

"Yeah, she loved baking almost as much as I do, maybe even more. Mama was the best cook," Makoto said proudly. "I remember when I was little, every Sunday was set aside for us to bake cookies. Oh, how wonderful the kitchen smelled on those days… It was like living inside a gingerbread house. And sometimes she would tell me stories about the 3 O'Clock Fairies who supposedly told mothers to make sweets for their children everyday at three. I remember always thinking the fairy that visited us was the bird that popped out of the cuckoo clock we had in our kitchen. Silly, huh?"

"No, not at all," Rei murmured softly, her violet eyes falling once again on the photograph of Makoto's parents. "I think it is wonderful."

She didn't know why, but suddenly she felt jealous of the memories Makoto had of her mother. Rei could barely remember her own mother any more. She had died so long ago, and as the years passed by, it had become harder and harder to keep her memory alive. Hearing the stories her grandfather used to tell about her mother had helped, but now that he was gone as well, Rei feared she would one day forget them both completely.

Perhaps it was better that way, though. There was no point in living in the past, as she always liked to say, and the motto had served her well over the years. Why would someone want to put themselves through the pain of remembering something they would never have again? It didn't make sense.

So why did the idea of forgetting her mother and grandfather hurt so much?

"Rei-chan, are you feeling okay?" Makoto asked, breaking her thoughts.

Setting down her uneaten cookie back on the plate, Rei sighed. "I'm fine, Mako-chan. I was just thinking of…something."

"You were thinking about your mother and grandfather, weren't you?"

Rei glanced over at her friend, eyes widening slightly. "How did you guess?"

"People always tell me I must have empathic powers since I'm good at guessing what other people are feeling," Makoto admitted, rubbing the back of her neck in slight embarrassment. "I don't know if that's true, but I do think I understand what you must be going through right now."

"You do?" Rei asked.

The auburn-haired girl nodded. "It's tough when you lose someone you love, especially when you always thought that someone would always be there to take care of you," Makoto said, her voice filled with the wisdom of experience. "That makes it doubly hard, because not only do you have to deal with the loss, you need to learn how to be self-reliant. It's a hard lesson to learn when you're still so young. Believe me, I know. All you want to do is forget and pretend it never happened, that the person you loved so dearly is still with you, but you can't, Rei-chan. You have to face what happened and accept it. It's the only way you'll be able to move on with your life. Living in denial is not the way to live."

"I'm not in denial," Rei insisted. "I know ojii-san died, and there's nothing I can do to bring him back."

"Yes, you might know that in your head, but do you know that in your heart?"

Instead of answering her, Rei wrapped her hands around the warm cup of tea and stared at her reflection in the calm surface of the liquid. She supposed Makoto was right. She had been avoiding dealing with her grief. As much as she wanted to believe everything would be fine, it was hard to imagine a future without her grandfather in her life.

"Mako-chan, may I ask you a question?" Rei asked, finally looking back up at her friend. "A personal question?"

"Of course."

"When your parents died, what did you do? I mean, did you have some place to go? A relative or a friend's place."

"Yeah, I moved in with my best friend Tomoko's family. They were kind enough to take me in for a while." Makoto sighed, her eyes sad. "I didn't stay there very long, though."

"Why not?"

"Things happened between me and Tomoko."

Remembering a conversation they had had shortly after Makoto joined the team, Rei asked, "Oh, was she the one…?"

"The one my sempai chose over me?" Makoto smiled sadly. "Yeah, she's the one. I remember I was so devastated when she told me they were together. First I had lost my parents, and then I had lost my first love to my best friend. I know now that Tomoko didn't mean to hurt me, but at the time, it was difficult to accept, so I decided to have myself emancipated and move here to Juuban."

"But how do you manage living by yourself? You don't have a job or anything like that, do you?"

"The insurance money I received after my parents' death is enough that I don't need to worry as long as I'm careful about how I spend it," Makoto explained. "It's enough to at least get me through high school, maybe college, if I decide to go. And whenever I want some extra money for something I don't really need, I clean my neighbors' apartments."

"I see."

Makoto looked at her quizzically. "Rei-chan, is there a reason why you are asking me about this?"

"I'm thinking about filing for emancipation myself," Rei admitted.

"You are? But what about your father? I thought you would be moving back in with him."

"Otou-sama doesn't want me back. My legal guardians at the moment are okaa-sama's best friend and her husband."

"Well, what's the problem? You don't like them?"

"No, that's not it at all," Rei said. "They're wonderful, kind, loving people, but I don't want to impose on their family. They already have five children of their own. Besides, if I don't become emancipated, it'll mean I'll have to move to Nagano."

"Nagano? Oh, Rei-chan…"

"I can't leave Tokyo, Mako-chan. I'm needed here to protect the princess. Yes, it's been a year since our last battle, but that doesn't mean something won't happen again. All my friends are here, too."

"But emancipation is a huge step," Makoto said. "I know it was the right path for me, but that doesn't mean you should do it, too."

"Are you telling me you don't think I can handle it?" Rei asked defensively, surprised Makoto wasn't being more supportive of her decision. Out of all her friends, Rei thought she would be the one who would understand why she needed to do this.

"N-No, of course not! All I'm saying is that I don't think you should take this kind of decision so lightly, especially when there are still so many options available to you."

"Options? What options? It seems to me I only have two choices - either I move to Nagano with the Watanabes or I go through with the emancipation and stay here in Tokyo."

"You could ask your father if you could move back in with him," she suggested.

Rei emphatically shook her head "no". That was the one option she would never consider. There was absolutely no way she was going to crawl back to him unless he offered to take her back. She would not be his unwanted responsibility anymore.

"I can't do that," Rei declared. "I won't!"

"Not even when it is the most logical choice? Listen, Rei-chan, I won't pretend to understand your reasons for disliking Hino-sama, but I do know if you move in with your father, you won't have to leave the Tokyo area. Sure, you would be living a little farther away and you might even have to change schools, but isn't that better than forcing yourself to grow up before you're ready? Being an adult isn't nearly as much fun as it seemed when you were a kid."

"I know that. I know it won't be easy. In fact, I might even have to drop out of school in order to take care of the shrine full-time."

"Then why? Why are you doing this?"

"Because this is what I need to do, Mako-chan. You understand, don't you?"

Makoto sighed. "Yes, a little, I suppose, but that doesn't mean I think it is the right decision for you, not when you still have family left."

Ha, family! Rei felt like laughing. She didn't have a family anymore. All she had left was a man who simply claimed he was her father and had given her his name. They were never "family," at least not a real one. Not like her mother or her grandfather.

"Hino Keitaro-san has never been and will never be a part of my family," Rei spat, setting down her tea cup and standing up to head back to the living room. "Now, if you will excuse me, I'll go throw away some of these empty boxes for you."

"Rei-chan…"

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When he finally woke up later that morning, still in his private study, Keitaro groaned, his head throbbing with a pounding headache. He didn't have to ask himself what had happened the night before, knowing even before he saw the empty bottle of some unknown intoxicant on his desk that he had gotten drunk. It was without a doubt the worst hangover he had ever experienced.

"Ugh, why do I do this to myself?" he asked aloud, carefully sitting up on the couch that had served as his make-shift bed and running a hand through his messy blond hair. Then he remembered the horrible dream and groaned again, cursing the fact that the alcohol had done nothing to make him forget his guilt. If anything, it made Keitaro feel worse than he had before.

He should have known getting drunk was not the answer to his problems.

Hearing the sound of a vacuum cleaner outside his office, Keitaro managed to make his way over to the door and stuck out his head. "Kato-kun, will you get me some coffee?" he asked of the middle-aged woman who had worked as his part-time housekeeper ever since Mrs. Yukana retired. "And some aspirin?"

The housekeeper turned off the vacuum and regarded him with one of her stern looks. "Hino-sama, how many times must I tell you your office is not a bedroom?"

"I know, I know," he mumbled, more than a little surprised that of all the things she could have chosen to berate him about - being hung-over at the top of the list - Mrs. Kato decided to scold him over something so minor. "I was working last night, and I guess I must have lost track of time…"

"Mm-mmm." He could tell she didn't believe him, but she wisely kept her mouth shut, only clicking her tongue in disapproval before heading to the kitchen. "I'll have your coffee and aspirin ready in a few minutes," she said, passing him by.

"Thank you, Kato-kun."

He headed back inside the office to wait, and a few minutes later, true to her word, Mrs. Kato returned not only with the promised coffee and medicine, but also some cereal. "Since you missed breakfast," she explained, answering his unasked question, as she set the tray down on the desk in front of him and poured some milk into the bowl.

"Kato-kun, I appreciate the thought, but I'm not really hun-"

"Eat," she ordered, handing him a spoon. "I've never let you skip a meal before, and I'm not about to start now just because you decided to do something stupid. And I better not come back to a mess in here, either. I really ought to make you eat at the dining room table, but since I've already cleaned in there, I guess this will have to do for today."

Having no choice but to accept, Keitaro took a few bites of the cold bran flakes, ignoring the urge to hurl them back up, and thanked the maid for her thoughtfulness before she left to continue her cleaning. Once she was gone, however, he pushed the bowl out of the way and reached for the aspirin, washing it down with the rather strong cup of coffee. He then rested his head down on the desk, glad that it was a Saturday and he didn't have to go to the office, and sighed.

Right then and there, he decided last night was the absolute final time he would drown his sorrows in liquor. He may have been his father's son, but Keitaro evidently had not inherited Hino Takeo's strong stomach when it came to alcohol. He simply was not cut out to be an alcoholic. The realization brought a small, if bitter, smile to his face. It was good to know they had at least one difference.

But the similarities…

Closing his eyes, Keitaro fought with little success to push back the painful memories of his childhood that were threatening to find their way out of the dark corner of his mind where they had remained hidden for so many years. Though old, the feelings those memories evoked were still as fresh as a bleeding wound.

Confusion.

Guilt.

Worthlessness.

Loneliness.

"Stop it!" he yelled, covering his ears as if doing so would drown out the tiny, child-like voice inside his mind that sounded suspiciously like his own. "Stop it!"

But the voice didn't stop. Instead, it grew even louder, more persistent, causing Keitaro to start breathing heavily through his mouth. He felt as if he were drowning in a sea of emotions, negative cold emotions that froze his body.

"I can't take this anymore," he said hoarsely, shaking with anger. "He can't hurt me anymore. He can't!"

Suddenly standing from his chair, Keitaro turned toward his father's liquor cabinet, knowing exactly what he needed to do. He walked over to the cabinet, and with a strength he never knew he possessed, Keitaro toppled it over. The glass inside shattered upon impact, and soon after, the expensive Oriental rug that laid on the floor was ruined as liquor began to seep from the broken cabinet body in a blood-dark stain.

"Hino-sama! Are you alright?"

Hearing his housekeeper's voice, Keitaro glanced over at the door to see Mrs. Kato had entered the room upon hearing the crash. She stood horrified as she surveyed the damage, a hand covering her mouth.

"It's okay, Kato-kun," he said, surprising himself with the calmness of his voice. "I'm fine. Everything is fine now."

"B-But the cabinet, the rug…"

Keitaro shook his head and held up his hand, signaling the woman not to come any closer. "It doesn't matter," he assured her. "Don't bother to clean up the mess. I'll call somebody to pick it up."

"Are you sure?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes, go ahead with the rest of your work. I'll take care of this."

"Yes, sir."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Returning home from Makoto's apartment later that afternoon, Rei immediately started searching for Kazuya, finding him and the two oldest children, Takara and Reika, in the charm booth attending to some customers. She waited until the young couple had finished making their donations before going over, taking a deep breath as not to lose her nerve.

"Oh, Rei-chan, you're back," Kazuya said, noticing her presence as she began walking toward them. "Did you enjoy your day off?"

"It was okay," she answered, waving hello to the children who were busy organizing the charms. "Um… Watanabe-san, can I talk to you? In private?"

"Private? Well, sure, I suppose so," he replied, looking rather confused as he moved toward the booth's exit. "Takara-kun, Reika-chan, I'm going to talk to Rei-chan for a few moments, so you two behave while I'm gone, okay?"

"We will, otou-san," the boy assured him.

"Good. I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

Leaving the booth, Rei led Kazuya toward the living quarters, where they each took a seat on the stairs leading to the porch. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked once they were situated. "Is something wrong? You sounded so serious before."

"No, everything is fine," she assured him. "In fact, things are better than fine."

"Really?"

Nodding, Rei took a deep breath before she announced her big news. "I've made my decision," she declared.

"Decision?"

"About what we were talking about last night."

"Oh, the emancipation." Kazuya's eyes darkened, but he was too professional to let emotion otherwise show in his face. "Well, what did you decide?"

"I've decided to go through with it, and I want you to draw up the papers as soon as possible."

"I see." Kazuya paused, closing his eyes for a moment, and then asked, "Does Miyuki know about this yet?"

"No, I haven't had the chance to tell her," Rei admitted, dreading having to do so. Miyuki was not going to like her decision at all.

Kazuya frowned. "You know how she feels about the idea, Rei-chan. She - no, we - really would like for you to stay with us."

"I know, and I appreciate the offer, really I do, but I can't leave behind my friends and the shrine."

"I understand, but are you absolutely positive you want to go through with an emancipation? You came to this decision rather quickly, almost overnight."

"You told me to think about it, and I did, Watanabe-san," she pointed out. "I don't want to intrude on Uchizawa-san and his new family, and I can't stay at the manor. The best place for me is here, at Hikawa."

"Okay, if that is what you really want, then I'll begin drawing up the necessary paperwork," he agreed with a heavy sigh. "But first, you need to talk to Miyuki and make sure she will agree to this. We are still your legal guardians and therefore also have a say in this. I will go with whatever decision she decides, but I can't move forward until we also agree to the emancipation."

"But can't you talk her into it?" Rei asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan. I could, but being an adult means taking responsibility for your own actions and decisions. If you believe you are adult enough to seek emancipation, then you are also adult enough not to rely on somebody else to do something that you don't want to do. You need to talk to Miyuki yourself."

As much as Rei hated to admit it, Kazuya did have a point. If she was going to strike out on her own, then she really did need to learn how to take care of her own business and not rely on others. After all, that was the whole point behind the emancipation, wasn't it? To take control of her life?

"Fine, I'll go talk to her," Rei said, standing back up. "Do you happen to know where I could find Watanabe-san?"

"I think she's probably inside the house with the other kids."

"Thanks."

Heading up the stairs, Rei began thinking over what she was going to say to Miyuki when she found her. It was not going to be an easy conversation to have. Though she had been diplomatic enough last night when they discussed the possibility of emancipation, Rei knew her guardian had not been thrilled with the idea. Miyuki wanted her to come with them back to Nagano or at least to stay with somebody who could take care of her, and while Rei understood her concern, Miyuki needed to see that there really wasn't any other viable option available to Rei.

Rei finally found her mother's best friend in the living area, busy picking up the many toys that ever since they arrived seemed to permanently litter the floor. None of the other kids were in sight, so she assumed Fumie, Shigure, and Kado were taking a nap in one of the bedrooms. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Rei walked into the room.

"Watanabe-san?"

The blonde woman, hearing her enter, straightened back up and turned around, a handful of Lincoln Logs in her hands. "Oh, Rei-chan, you're home earlier than I expected," she commented with a small smile, tossing the logs in their appropriate container. "Did you have a nice time with your friends?"

"It was fine. I went over to Kino Mako-chan's apartment for a while and helped her clean, then we spent the rest of the day talking."

"About your grandfather? I'm glad. It's good that you have somebody to talk to about what happened."

Rei shook her head and began helping Miyuki pick up Shigure's Legos. "Actually, we talked mostly about emancipation," she confessed.

The blonde paused and slowly fitted the lid on the container before turning around. "Emancipation?" Miyuki repeated.

"Mako-chan is the friend I told you about last night," she explained. "Her parents died in a plane crash a few years ago, leaving her without a family. She stayed with a friend for a little while, but eventually decided to have herself declared an adult."

"Well, it sounds like Kino-san is a very brave young woman, to have gone through so much."

"She is," Rei agreed. "She's one of the strongest people I know, both emotionally and physically."

"Then I'm sure she also must have told you how tough it was to live on her own at such a young age."

Rei, who didn't fail to catch the subtle tone of suggestion in Miyuki's voice, shrugged. "She might have mentioned it in passing, but Mako-chan seems to have done well enough. I mean, she has a small apartment, but it's big enough for her, and she has enough money so that she can afford to attend high school without getting a job…"

"Rei-chan, you've decided to go through with the emancipation, haven't you?" Miyuki asked, cutting straight to the point.

Taken back by her guardian's guess, but a little relieved to have it out in the open, Rei nodded. "Yes, I have," she admitted, unable to meet the Miyuki's gaze. "I know you would rather me go live with you or Uchizawa-san, but this is something I have to do. I'm not a little girl anymore, and I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, sweetie, but that doesn't mean you have to, not when you have people who care about you and want to help."

"I appreciate it, but I don't need anybody's help, Watanabe-san. Everybody is treating me like this fragile glass figurine, ready to shatter at any moment, but the truth is, I'm fine. You don't have to be so concerned about me."

"You know, you remind me so much of your mother right now," Miyuki said after a short pause, staring at Rei with a wistful look in her eyes.

"I do?"

"Takara always complained Kondo-sama and I worried far too much about her. It drove her absolutely insane. Honestly, I think that girl actually enjoyed putting herself in the path of danger just to make me mad."

"Really?" Rei asked, surprised. She never knew about that side of her mother's personality.

"If I had a yen for every time I thought your mother was going to get herself hurt or killed with one of her impulsive actions, I would be a millionaire," Miyuki declared, pausing for a moment before smiling. "Of course, not all of her risks went unrewarded."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if she hadn't gone against her doctor's wishes and gotten pregnant, you wouldn't be here."

"You mean okaa-sama put her life in danger by having me?

"You didn't know?"

"No, nobody ever told me," Rei said softly, her appreciation for her mother growing as she realized just how much she must have loved her to take such a risk. "I always knew she had a weak heart, but I never realized…"

"Takara wanted you more than anything, Rei-chan," Miyuki said. "She was willing to risk everything to become a mother. It was her most precious dream." The blonde sighed. "I guess that's one of the reasons why I'm so concerned about you. If anything were to happen to you, Takara and Kondo-sama would never forgive me. They loved you so much…"

"But nothing is going to happen to me. I'll be fine here, really, and if I need any help, you and Uchizawa-san are only a phone call away."

"But you're still so young…"

"I am seventeen," Rei reminded her. "I'm not exactly a child anymore. Mako-chan was a lot younger when she lost her parents. Besides, I'd be leaving in a little over a year anyway to begin my priestess training."

"I know, but -"

"Please, Watanabe-san. Let me do this."

After a long moment, Miyuki finally sighed in defeat. "Okay, if that is what you think is best, then Kazuya and I will agree to the emancipation," she said.

"You will?" Rei almost leaped at her and hugged her, but contented herself with a grateful and sincere smile. "Thank you, Watanabe-san."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Katsuki-kun, who is my next appointment?" Keitaro asked around noon the following Monday, pushing the button on his intercom after setting aside some papers from his last meeting.

The sound of papers flipping crackled over the speaker as Miss Katsuki checked her ever-present appointment book. "A Watanabe Kazuya-san is here to see you, sir," she replied in her usual dull voice. "He says he has some important legal documents for you to sign."

"Watanabe-san?" he repeated, unsure of what to make of the prominent lawyer's visit to his office. What business could Miyuki's husband possibly have with him?

"Hai, sir. May I send him in? Watanabe-san is only requesting a few moments of your time."

"Yes, of course. Send him in."

Still confused, Keitaro rose from his chair as the door to his office opened and an elegant, distinguished-looking gentleman stepped inside. "Good afternoon, Hino-sama," Kazuya said, politely bowing in greeting. "I hope this isn't a bad time. I assure you this should not take long at all."

"No, now is fine. Please, have a seat." Keitaro indicated the chair in front of his desk before returning to his own. "If you don't mind me asking, Watanabe-san, why are you here?" he asked once they were both seated, cutting straight to the point. "I was not aware you had made an appointment to see me. Am I in some sort of legal trouble?"

Before answering, Kazuya placed his leather attaché case on his lap and began digging through his papers. "I have come to you on your daughter's behalf," the lawyer said, finally pulling out the proper documents and placing the papers on the desk. "You are free to go through these if you would like, of course, but I believe everything should be in order. All I need is your signature."

"Signature?" Reaching for the papers, Keitaro slid them closer and glanced over the first page, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he realized what they were. "These are emancipation papers. I-I don't understand."

"Would you like me to go over these with you before you sign? It should be quite straight-forward…"

"No, I understand the contract just fine," Keitaro said, leaning back in his chair as he continued going through the stack of papers. "What I don't understand is why Rei-san is seeking emancipation. I thought Kondo-sama's will had named you and Miyuki-san as her legal guardians."

"Rei-chan feels it is in her best interest to remain here in Tokyo instead of moving to Nagano with us," Kazuya explained. "Miyuki and I tried to talk her out of going through with this, but she is quite determined to stay and take over her grandfather's shrine."

"What? She's only seventeen. How does she expect to run Hikawa when she hasn't even finished high school?" Keitaro asked, looking up from the papers.

"As an emancipated adult, Rei-san will be given access to certain funds that were previously denied to her because of her age, mostly the money left to her by her grandfather. I won't lie, it isn't much, but she insists it is enough for her to live on until she graduates next year."

Letting the news sink in, Keitaro set the papers aside, took off his glasses, and hid his face in his hands. What was his daughter thinking? Rei had no idea how difficult it would be to juggle school and her duties at the shrine by herself. He understood why she might not like the idea of moving to Nagano, but surely there were less severe alternatives than emancipation.

"Why?" Keitaro murmured to himself. "Why is she doing this to herself?"

Kazuya, who for the most part had remained calm and business-like throughout their entire meeting, seemed to sag slightly, a look of worry passing across his face. "I don't know, Hino-sama," he said, answering Keitaro's question even though it had not been addressed to him. "The only thing I do know is that this is what Rei-chan wants. Miyuki and I are disappointed she will not be coming back to Nagano with us, but after a lengthy conversation concerning the matter, we feel she will be happier if she remains here in Tokyo. This is her home, the place where she grew up, the place where she met her wonderful friends. We couldn't demand she give all that up for what would essentially be only a year. It was tough enough for Rei-chan when she first moved to Hikawa and changed schools. We don't want her to have to go through that again."

"So, you and Miyuki have also agreed to the emancipation?"

"It was not an easy decision, Hino-sama. We hold the same concerns as I'm sure you do about Rei-chan's ability to support herself, but your daughter is a smart girl. I looked over the books for Hikawa, and Rei-chan has done a fantastic job handling the shrine's budget over the last few years. If she applies those same skills to her personal budget, there is no doubt in my mind she will be able to handle this. And if she can't, then we will be more than happy to step in. In the end, what really matters is Rei-chan's happiness, and we both believe Tokyo is where she belongs."

"She really wants this, doesn't she?" Keitaro asked, again reaching for the papers.

Kazuya nodded. "You may, of course, protest the emancipation and sue to regain custody, but I think it will be best for everybody if you go ahead and sign the papers now. I'm saying this not as a father, but as a lawyer. As a politician, I know the last thing you'd want is to engage in a court battle with your daughter. It will spare both of you a lot of grief to handle this matter as quickly and as quietly as possible."

"And as a father? What do you think I should do?"

The question was out of Keitaro's mouth before he even realized what he was saying, but strangely enough, he found himself wanting to hear what he had to say. Kazuya was no stranger to fatherhood with five children of his own, and though he didn't know him that well, the one thing Keitaro did know was that he loved his kids dearly. It was one of the reasons why he had agreed to give legal guardianship of Rei to Miyuki and Kazuya in the event of Saburo's death.

Kazuya appeared taken back by the question at first, as surprised by its personal nature as Keitaro was. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before replying, "Hino-sama, I am here as Rei-san's lawyer. My personal feelings about what action you should take regarding the emancipation are irrelevant. My duty is to my client and what she wants."

"I understand, Watanabe-san, but for a moment, I want you to forget that," Keitaro said. "All I'm asking is for your opinion as a father. Do you think I should sign these papers and give up all my parental rights and responsibilities to Rei-san? If I do this, will I be doing the right thing for her?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer those questions for you. The only person who knows the answer is yourself."

"Then pretend the shoe is on the other foot. If one of your children were to seek emancipation from you, would you sign the papers without a fight?"

Kazuya didn't spare a moment to think about his answer. He promptly shook his head and said a quiet "no."

Keitaro sighed. He had expected that answer. Of course, it didn't make his decision any easier. He and Kazuya were two different people. Just because Kazuya admitted he would never sign the papers didn't mean he should make the same decision. There was a reason why Rei had the papers drawn - to cut him permanently out of her life. Emancipation was obviously what she wanted, so who was he to deny her that wish?

Yet, he found himself hesitant to sign, his fingers refusing to reach for the nearby pen set beside the papers. His eyes were glued instead to the line above the one meant for his signature where his daughter had already signed. She might as well have written "I hate you" in place of "Hino Rei" - in his mind, they were one in the same.

Did Rei really hate him that much that she was willing to go so far to keep him out of her life?

Kazuya cleared his throat after a few moments, breaking Keitaro from his thoughts. "Hino-sama, I realize this is a difficult decision to make. Why don't I leave the papers with you and let you think everything over for a few days?" the lawyer suggested as he closed his attaché case and stood. "I do have other appointments to attend, as I know you do as well. We can finish this at a later date."

"Oh, yes, of course. Thank you," Keitaro replied, standing to show Kazuya to the door.

"Hino-sama…" Kazuya paused at the doorway. "I would like to stress that you must make this decision according to what is best for Rei-san. Sometimes it's difficult to keep personal feelings out of such things, but as a politician, I'm sure I can rely on you to be objective?"

"Of course, Watanabe-san," Keitaro assured him, for a moment returning to his usual professional self.

But after Kazuya had left, he sunk against the door slightly and rested his forehead on the cool wood, unable to believe what was happening.

What was he going to do?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the porch surrounding the living quarters of the shrine, Rei stood looking out onto the newly raked courtyard, a broomstick grasped idly in her hand. Phobos and Deimos, her two pet crows, were nearby, cawing and dancing on the ground, but even their playful antics failed to bring the usual smile to her face. Her thoughts were somewhere else, more specifically on the meeting she knew had ended a couple of hours ago.

Kazuya would be home soon with the news of whether or not her father agreed to the emancipation, and though Rei regretted not asking him to call her as soon as the meeting was over, she pretty much knew what had happened anyway. Keitaro had signed the papers; she couldn't imagine him doing anything else. They both knew it was time to officially cut all ties with each other. It had been inevitable.

So why did she feel so empty all of the sudden? Rei thought she would be happy to finally be rid of the father who never loved her. The emancipation was her decision, after all. She should be jumping up and down in celebration, or in the very least, smiling, but the best she could muster was a tiny half-grin that was more forced than genuine.

 _This is ridiculous_ , she thought to herself. _I've got everything I wanted. Hikawa is mine, I don't have to leave Tokyo and my friends, and I never have to see otou-sama ever again. So, why do I feel as if I've lost something very important in the process? Why am I doubting my decision to go through with the emancipation?_

Nerves, that was probably it. It was a little scary to think she was really on her own from that day forward, making her own decisions and not dependant on anybody else. Makoto had probably felt the same way when her friend's parents had signed the papers. It was only natural to be afraid of the unknown, but Rei knew she would be able to handle it.

"I'll make you proud, ojii-san," she promised, her voice carrying in the summer breeze. "I'll take the best care of the shrine, you'll see." She then began to sweep the yard again, only looking up when she heard somebody call her name a few minutes later.

Seeing Miyuki's husband finish the last of the stairs leading up to Hikawa, Rei dropped her broom and ran over to greet him. "Watanabe-san!"

"Hello, Rei-chan," the lawyer said. "Are you the only one home?"

"Your wife decided to take the kids on a tour of Tokyo," she informed him. "They should be home around dinner time."

"Oh, I see. You didn't want to go with them?"

"No, I needed to stay and finish my chores."

"You know, Hikawa won't suddenly disappear if you decide to take a break every once in a while, Rei-chan. You're going to run yourself ragged if you keep up this pace."

"I can handle it," she insisted, following Kazuya inside the living quarters. "So, did you get a chance to meet with otou-sama?"

"Yes, I did."

"And? Did he sign the papers?"

"No, Rei-chan, he didn't."

"What?" she asked, stopping abruptly in her tracks. Had she heard him correctly?

"Hino-sama wasn't sure what he wanted to do, so I told him he could take a few days before making a final decision," Kazuya explained. "We did spring this on him rather unexpectedly."

Shocked, Rei took a seat on one of the pillows around the lowered table. Her mind refused to comprehend what Kazuya had said. How could her father not sign the papers? It was supposed to be so simple...

"He didn't sign?" she asked.

"Rei-chan, are you okay? You look a little pale."

"No, I'm fine. I just never expected he wouldn't sign the emancipation papers. I'm surprised, that's all."

"It's not the kind of decision a parent can make lightly."

"Yes, but otou-sama… I thought otou-sama would be glad to finally be rid of me," Rei admitted softly.

"Glad to be rid of you? I don't imagine it is easy for any parent, regardless of how active they were in their child's life, to give up their parental rights," Kazuya said. "And Hino-sama is concerned about you."

"Yeah, right," Rei muttered bitterly, rolling her eyes. "Where was his concern for me when ojii-san died? He didn't even bother coming to the funeral. A real father would have come."

"Well, I won't pretend to understand the reasons why Hino-sama didn't come to Kondo-sama's funeral, but that doesn't make him any less your father. Nothing will ever change that, not even this emancipation."

Rei stared at him. She could understand what Kazuya was saying, but the lawyer didn't know her father like she did. Her father had never really been a "father" to her, even when they lived in the same house, let alone after she came to live here. Minoru and her grandfather had been her real father figures.

"If you say so, Watanabe-san," she replied in a disbelieving voice. "Would you like some tea?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, after he had finished dinner and told Mrs. Kato she could take the rest of the evening off, Keitaro retired to his private office, intending to get some work done but knowing perfectly well he wouldn't. How could he possibly concentrate on his work when his mind was debating whether or not he should sign the emancipation papers? Ever since the meeting with Watanabe Kazuya, it was all he could think about, and he still wasn't any closer to making a final decision.

"Maybe I should call Min-" he said as he plopped down in his chair, stopping himself just in time.

No, calling Minoru was out of the question. Keitaro had forgotten they were no longer friends after what Minoru had said to him the day of Saburo's funeral. The reminder of their broken friendship was almost as painful as the thought of losing his daughter.

He really had lost everyone, hadn't he? It was like Minoru had predicted in his dream. Uncle Wataru, Takara, Negishi, Minoru, now Rei… Why was it that he never realized how much he cared about somebody until it was too late?

Sighing, he pulled the infamous papers out of his briefcase and began going over the terms of the contract one more time. As Kazuya had said, it was pretty much straightforward. If Keitaro chose to sign, he would give up all his parental rights and Rei would be declared a legal adult, free of his responsibility. If he didn't, he would have to counter sue for custody and most likely have to engage in a fierce court battle against his own daughter. Either way, he lost. Even if he fought for her and won, Rei would resent him even more than she already did, if that was humanly possible. It was a no-win situation.

 _Maybe I should just sign the papers_ , Keitaro thought, setting the papers aside and burying his face in his hands. It was what Rei wanted, after all. Now was not the time to be selfish, especially when it was his own selfishness that had provoked her to seek emancipation in the first place.

But then he thought about the dream and how Rei and Minoru had vanished right in front of him. Rei was now the only person left in his life. If he let her go, Keitaro truly would be alone, and that scared him more than he ever thought possible. It was ironic, in a way. He had spent so much of his life pushing people away, Keitaro never thought he would be so desperate to keep somebody close to him.

"Oh, what should I do?" he moaned.

Realizing he was not going to be able to make a decision any time soon, Keitaro gathered the papers back up and placed them in the briefcase, then started aimlessly walking around the room. He was looking for something but wasn't sure exactly what it was until his fingers ran across the book binds lined neatly on a nearby bookshelf and came to a stop on an old photo album that had not been touched in years. Pulling the album out, he blew off the thin layer of dust that had gathered on the cover and took a seat on the couch to look through it.

Keitaro smiled as he turned to the first page, greeted by an old black and white photograph. It had been taken on what must have been his fifth birthday, judging by the number of candles on the cake sitting in front of the puffy-cheeked, blond-haired boy. Behind him was Uncle Wataru, bending forward and similarly puffy-cheeked as they both prepared to blow out the candles, while Mrs. Yukana, looking much younger than the last time he had seen her, stood off to the side, singing and clapping her hands. Noticeably missing, however, was his father Takeo, who had spent the festivities locked in the library, mourning the anniversary of his wife's untimely death and no doubt downing an entire bottle of scotch.

His birthday had never been a happy occasion.

Pushing the memory away, Keitaro quickly turned the page and frowned at the next photo, a professional portrait taken about a year later of him and his father, very different from the candidness of the first picture. Hino Takeo, for once looking half-way decent after a fresh shave, was sitting in a chair, dressed in a somber black suit, while Keitaro stood stiffly beside him, not a smile in sight. Afterwards, he remembered telling his uncle that he hadn't felt like smiling after being forced by Mrs. Yukana to wear a ridiculous boy's sailor suit (complete with a silly hat and shorts so short that it had taken years before Minoru could look at the portrait and not laugh) that she insisted looked absolutely "adorable" on him, but they had both known it was a lie.

The next picture, on the page across from the portrait, brought back bittersweet memories as Keitaro stared at the smiling, flushed faces of two boys at the end of their school's annual sports day. The blond, slightly smaller boy on the left wearing a tiny, embarrassed grin appeared almost timid compared to his friend, but there was no mistaking the pure exhilaration of the redhead, who had just finished winning the notoriously difficult obstacle course. Minoru's smile was bright enough to light the entire Tokyo Tower as he made a V-for-victory sign with one hand and threw his other arm around Keitaro's shoulders, almost pulling him into a headlock.

"He always was a show-off," Keitaro remarked to himself wryly.

Continuing on, Keitaro flipped through the next few pages with disinterest, as they were mostly just school pictures and random snapshots, but paused when he came to another picture of him and his uncle, this time joined by Negishi Shinji. The banner hanging in the background proclaimed Re-elect Negishi for Governor, so Keitaro deduced it must have been taken the day Negishi had won his second term as the governor of Tokyo. The three of them certainly looked triumphant as they smiled for the camera, and Keitaro could almost still hear an open-mouthed Negishi saying "This will someday be you, Keitaro-kun, my boy." Even then, as a young teenage boy, he had aspirations to follow in Negishi's and his uncle's footsteps and run for public office.

After that, there came another round of school pictures and snapshots, mostly of Keitaro and Minoru in various stages of adolescence. There was Keitaro holding the huge trophy he had won in the debate club, Minoru holding up an Atari game he won a video game competition, the both of them going to their first dance party, which Minoru had dragged him to in spite of numerous protests that he needed to study… Keitaro allowed himself to laugh at that picture, still wondering how he managed to let Minoru talk him into wearing one of those ugly polyester leisure suits that were so popular during that time. He must have been certifiably insane that night, or else incredibly blind. How else could one explain such tacky clothes?

The laughter died, however, as he came to the next picture, another one of him and his uncle joined by Minoru as they stood outside the exclusive all boys' high school he and Minoru had both attended. Graduation day, 1970 - a day he would remember not for the joy of graduating first in his class, but for the sorrow he felt when Uncle Wataru informed he had been diagnosed with cancer. Looking at the photograph, Keitaro cursed himself for not realizing something was wrong sooner. How could he have not noticed how pale his uncle had become, or how worn his face looked, even when he was smiling with the pride of a father? It seemed so obvious now, although Keitaro knew his uncle had tried his best to keep his illness a secret from him, not wanting him to worry about anything but his studies. He might not have even known if Uncle Wataru hadn't fainted from anemia shortly after the picture was taken.

Closing his eyes, Keitaro reached for the crucifix he still wore faithfully around his neck. It had been a graduation gift from Uncle Wataru, given right after he had learned the truth of his uncle's sickness. He remembered his uncle, still feeling weak from his fainting spell, placing the cross in his palm and telling him in a raspy voice not to worry "for God would give us strength." How reassuring those words had seemed then, but now…

Ignoring the urge to put the photo album away, he continued to the next page, dedicated to his years at Tokyo University. Again, it was mostly him and Minoru, occasionally sprinkled with an article from the school paper about some insignificant success he had achieved. Keitaro skipped over his uncle's obituary, which Mrs. Yukana had clipped from the newspaper, and flipped over a couple more pages until he was well into his last year of college, the year he met Takara.

Much to his surprise, Keitaro discovered somebody had clipped and saved the article written about the rally for the Liberal Democratic Party, the one Takara and Miyuki had first attended. If he studied the accompanying picture hard enough, he could almost make out the figures of the girls and Minoru standing off to the side underneath the tree while he was giving his speech on stage. Keitaro's smile returned as he remembered that wonderful day, and his eyes lingered on the photograph for a moment longer before he turned the page once again.

There was a noticeable change in the focus of the photographs after that. Instead of just him and his best friend, it was the four of them - him, Minoru, Takara, and Miyuki. Keitaro smiled again as he looked over the photographs, remembering those first few months after the rally. They had had some good times together. The best, actually. He could honestly say he had never been happier then he had been then. Heck, his smile in the old photographs could almost give Minoru a run for his money, though Takara's was the brightest of them all.

She had been so beautiful…

He could have stayed staring at those pictures forever, but after a few minutes, Keitaro forced himself to go on, scanning over the newspaper clippings that dominated the next few pages. There were hardly any photographs in that part of the album, unless they accompanied the articles, but the ones he did find showed a noticeable change. They were still happy and brought back fond memories, yet Keitaro could see the distance between him and Takara, subtle but still there even in the early years of their marriage, which surprised him. Keitaro had always assumed their troubles had started around the time she became pregnant with Rei and he was running for governor. In reality, though, he realized he had begun unconsciously pushing her away far before that. Maybe even the night of their wedding, when he had asked her if she wanted to annul their marriage after her attack.

"Oh, Takara…" he whispered, his finger caressing one of the photographs taken at a political fundraiser. Her smile was bright as ever, but Keitaro inwardly cringed as he noticed how far apart he stood from her, not even touching her as if he was afraid she would break.

How long had she silently suffered under his apparent callousness?

Not wanting to know the answer to that question, he turned to the last few pages of the photo album, drawing in a sharp breath as he glanced over the last couple of photographs, all of baby Rei. They had been what he had been searching for, he realized with some degree of shock, or more specifically, it. Peeling the plastic covering off the last page, Keitaro reached for one of the photographs and set it aside. He then closed the album and put it back on the shelf where it belonged before finally allowing himself to look at the picture he had saved.

The photograph had been taken a couple of days after Rei's birth in Takara's hospital room - to the objective eye, nothing very special. The quality of the picture itself was horrendous, as Minoru had just bought himself a fancy Nikon camera and had yet to learn how to use it correctly, though he had had a lot of fun practicing on the new little "model." In the lower right-hand corner, the top of Miyuki's blonde head could be seen, blurry and unnaturally white, while the rest of the picture was almost too dim to make out the people in the photograph. However, Keitaro knew it was him, awkwardly holding his newborn daughter for the first time.

Keitaro stared at the photograph, the memory of that moment coming back to him. He had wanted so badly to love her, really he had… He had thought once he got the chance to hold his daughter in his arms, everything would be perfect, that he would finally feel like a father.

But when it had finally happened…nothing. Not even a flicker of affection. In fact, he had been relieved when Miyuki took the screaming baby away, Rei's cries softening almost instantly as she was placed back in her mother's arms for a feeding. Both Takara and Miyuki told him not to take it personally, insisting she had just been hungry, but Keitaro always suspected she had sensed his hesitancy. Even from that early age, she must have known he hadn't wanted her.

But why? Why was it that he had been unable to open his heart to her, that precious baby, his only daughter? Was it true what he had feared the first time he saw her in the nursery, that being an uncaring father ran in his genes?

It didn't matter anymore, for Keitaro realized that no matter what reason he could think of to justify his feelings, the truth still remained. He didn't deserve to be Rei's father, not now, not ever. It was too late.

He could only make one choice.

Setting the photograph aside, he walked over to the phone sitting on his desk and dialed the number of Watanabe Kazuya's cell phone.

"Hello, Watanabe-san? I'm ready to sign the papers."


	17. Phoenix Rising, Part III

Standing at the altar of the hotel's chapel one week later, Minoru finished putting on the elegant gold cufflinks Jacqueline had given to him as a wedding present, his nerves quite noticeable as he struggled to fasten them with shaking hands. He was undeniably anxious, but more than that, he was also excited, knowing in just a few more minutes, Jacqueline would be his wife, and he would finally have the family he had always longed for.

Contrary to popular belief, he did not regret losing his bachelor status in the least. Sure, it had been fun - for a while - but after a few years, the "wine, women and song" life had become rather monotonous, and Minoru could honestly say the last few months with Jacqueline and Angelique had been among the happiest in his life. He hadn't even partaken in the traditional "one last night of freedom", preferring to spend the evening before with his fiancée and soon-to-be stepdaughter at their apartment instead of heading to one of downtown Tokyo's infamous gentlemen's clubs for drinks and lap dances. He almost laughed out loud remembering the looks of pure astonishment (and some disappointment) when he told his male friends from the office that he preferred to stay at home instead of partying the night away.

The only thing preventing Minoru from being completely happy was the knowledge that he wouldn't be able to share today with his best friend. He had tried calling Keitaro the night before, inviting him once again to the wedding, but he had only been able to reach the answering machine. Evidently, Keitaro was still refusing to take his calls, so Minoru had given up hope on Keitaro deciding to attend the ceremony at the last minute. It would take more than a simple phone call to make things right between them again.

"Minoru-san, what's wrong?" a female voice asked, startling him when he suddenly felt somebody's hand on his shoulder. Minoru hadn't realized anybody else was in the chapel. "Today's your wedding day, so why the glum face all of a sudden? You look like you've just lost your best friend."

"That's not so far from the truth, Miyuki," he replied, sighing as he turned around to face his former love. "You haven't seen Keitaro, have you?"

The blonde shook her head, her soft curls bouncing ever so slightly. "No, I haven't. Shouldn't he be here by now? The wedding's about to begin."

"I don't think he's coming."

"What? Why wouldn't Keitaro-san come to your wedding?" she asked. "You two have been best friends since you were children. I can't imagine him not being here."

"Well, we haven't exactly been on speaking terms lately," Minoru admitted, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his dress slacks. "I was hoping he might decide to come today anyway, but it doesn't look like it."

"There's still some time left. He could still make it."

Chuckling softly to himself, Minoru stepped down from the raised altar and took a seat in one of the front pews. "Now look who's the one with blind hope," he said. "You sound just like me a few years ago."

"Things are really that bad between you two?"

"Worse."

Her eyes filled with sympathy, Miyuki joined him in the pew, covering the hand he had placed on his knee with one of her own. "What happened?" she asked softly. "Did you two have an argument?"

"After the funeral, I went to his office to give him a piece of my mind for not coming, and needless to say, it didn't go too well," Minoru said. "I know, I know, it probably wasn't the smartest idea, but I thought if I could somehow make him realize what he was doing to himself and to Rei-chan…"

Miyuki sighed. "There's not much chance of that happening now. You know he signed the emancipation papers, right?"

Minoru nodded. Rei had called to tell him about the emancipation a few days ago. He had been mildly surprised, but not really shocked by the news. It appeared Keitaro was continuing to repeat the pattern he began the day Takara died, pushing his daughter away when she needed him most.

"Honestly, I don't think I know him at all anymore," Minoru said. "He cares about her - I know in my heart he does - but he seems downright determined to push Rei-chan away from him. It's like he doesn't want to be happy, like he's punishing himself for some crime he hasn't even committed."

"Well, maybe it's better this way, anyway, Minoru-san," Miyuki said. "Rei-chan didn't seem too thrilled when I suggested she move back to the manor, and Keitaro-san isn't exactly Father of the Year."

"But that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a second chance. Look, I'm not saying he's been the perfect father to Rei-chan. I'll be the first to admit he's made a lot of mistakes over the past ten years or so. I was against him sending her to Hikawa to live with Kondo-sama from the start, and I hated watching him practically ignore her as he buried himself in his work."

"Then how can you defend him?" she demanded to know. "I don't understand. I know he is - was - your best friend, but you know his faults."

"I take it you agreed with his decision to sign the papers, then?" Minoru asked, frowning. Miyuki and Keitaro never had been particularly close, but he never expected her to be so vehement about the situation.

"I don't know…" she said, taking her hand away and placing it in her lap. "Please, Minoru-san, I don't want to argue about this. Keitaro-san made his decision, and whether I agree with it or not doesn't matter. The only opinions that matter are his and Rei-chan's."

"I suppose you're right." Minoru fiddled with his cufflinks. "So, how is Rei-chan handling the emancipation, anyway?" he asked. "I haven't had the chance to really talk to her since she called me with the news."

"She's…dealing with it, I guess," Miyuki said, sighing as she twisted the ring on her finger. "Outwardly, she seems fine. It doesn't appear to have affected her at all. She's getting her finances in order and going on with her normal life, as if nothing's changed. Emotionally, though, it hard to tell. Rei-chan's always been so guarded with her feelings…"

Knowing exactly what she meant, Minoru nodded. After all, it was difficult even for him to know what Rei was thinking and feeling, and he'd seen her far more often than Miyuki. It was yet another resemblance to the father she despised.

"What about you? How are you holding up?" he asked.

"Me?" Miyuki looked surprised by the question, her dark brown eyes widening slightly as she looked up.

"Well, I know you and Watanabe-san were set to be her guardians. It must have been quite a shock when Rei-chan decided to become emancipated."

"It was," Miyuki admitted, "but it was what she wanted. As much as I would have loved for her to move to Nagano with us, I couldn't force her to leave Tokyo if that wasn't what she wanted. I think, in the end, she'll be much happier staying at Hikawa."

"But?" he pressed, sensing there was something she wasn't telling him. "Come on, Miyuki, I can't imagine you simply accepting this. It must be difficult for you, too."

"I'm fine, really," she insisted. "I've made my peace with it. I know Rei-chan didn't do this to hurt me. She just did what she felt she had to do."

"Miyuki…"

"Fine, I'm not completely happy with the situation," she finally confessed. "I know Rei-chan asked Kazuya to file the papers, and we agreed to let her go through with the emancipation, but I don't know… I can't help wishing she had decided to stay with us. I promised Kondo-sama I would take care of her, and it feels like I'm failing him."

Minoru smiled and gently touched her arm, sympathizing with her feelings. "I'm sure he doesn't think that. Above all, Kondo-sama wanted Rei-chan to be happy, and if this is where she is happiest, then he can't fault you for a silly thing like geography. You can't help living so far away, and you'll keep in touch, right? Phone calls, visits, and the like? Just because you live in different cities doesn't mean you can't still take care of her. As long as Rei-chan is healthy, safe, and happy, you haven't failed him."

"You're right. Thank you, Minoru-san. That makes me feel a little better."

Miyuki smiled with gratitude just as the doors to the chapel opened and a teenage girl dressed in a simple plum sheath stepped inside. Hearing the sound of her high heels coming down the aisle, Minoru and Miyuki broke apart, Minoru standing from his seat in the pew to greet her.

"Rei-chan, we were just talking about you," he said, coming forward to give his goddaughter a hug. "It's so good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Uchizawa-san," she said, allowing him to hold her for a few seconds before pulling away. Rei never had been comfortable with public displays of affection.

"Are you sure?" he asked, holding her at arm's length. Minoru could see what Miyuki had meant by Rei seeming fine on the outside, the picture of a calm, poised young lady, but he thought he saw a hint of sadness in her amethyst eyes.

Rei smiled softly, undoubtedly trying to assure him she really was okay. It did help a little bit, but Minoru still couldn't shake the feeling something was bothering her. "Of course," she said. "Why wouldn't I be? It's your wedding day."

"That it is," he remarked proudly, for the moment putting aside his concerns about Rei as he was reminded of that fact. It was impossible not to smile every time he thought about the wedding. "By the way, thank you again for agreeing to be Jakakuerine's maid of honor. I know we kind of sprung it on you at the last minute, but Jakakuerine doesn't have many female friends here in Japan."

"I don't mind," she assured him. "Oh, that reminds me. Yanagazawa-san and Angelique-chan are finished dressing, so we can start the ceremony at any time. Are all the guests here?"

Miyuki nodded from her seat in the pew, starting to stand. "Yes, Kazuya and the kids are waiting outside. I should probably go tell them to come take their seats."

"That's okay, Watanabe-san," Rei replied. "I can inform them the ceremony is about to begin when I head back to the dressing room. Is that everybody?"

At the question, Miyuki glanced over at him, and Minoru sighed, looking back one final time at the closed doors in the back of the chapel. Keitaro still hadn't arrived. Minoru knew he shouldn't have kept his hopes up that he would, but a small part of him had really and truly thought Keitaro might decide to come to the wedding after all. It was now painfully obvious he had been wrong.

"Yeah, that's everyone," Minoru finally said when he realized they were both waiting for an answer. "Tell Jakakuerine and the minister I'm ready whenever she is."

"Okay, I'll tell them."

After Rei let out what seemed to be a sigh of relief, she headed back to the dressing room while Minoru resumed his designated spot at the altar and Miyuki sat back down in the pew.

"Um, Minoru-san?" Miyuki said after a few moments, rising once again and walking over to where he stood. "I know Rei-chan is going to be Yanagazawa-san's maid of honor, but who is going to be your best man?"

Minoru abruptly turned his head toward her, eyes widening when he realized that during all that had happened recently, he had forgotten to choose a best man. Keitaro had been his first choice, of course, but those plans had obviously fallen through. Desperate for a replacement, he only had to think a moment before smiling at the blonde beside him.

"You'll be my best man, Miyuki," he declared.

"Me?" Miyuki glanced down at her floral-print dress, hands resting on her womanly hips. "Minoru-san, I don't know if you've noticed lately, but I am a woman."

"So?"

"So, I can't be best _man_."

"Why not? We'll just call you the best woman."

"But it's not traditional…" Miyuki protested.

"Well, I've never been much for tradition anyway," he said, shrugging. "Come on, it'll be fun, and there's nobody else here to fill the role. Please, Miyuki. All you have to do is stand by me at the altar and hold the rings until the minister asks for them. You won't even have to make a toast since we're leaving for the airport right after the ceremony. It'll be a piece of cake."

"Why don't you ask Kazuya?" she suggested. "I know you don't know each other that well, but I'm sure he would be happy -"

"Please, Miyuki, I want you," he begged, taking her hand and giving it a light squeeze. "Outside of Keitaro, you are my best friend. If he isn't able to be here today, then I can think of no other person I'd rather have up here with me than you."

"Really? You think of me as your best friend?"

Minoru smiled. "Of course. You know how much I care about you."

"I don't know,," Miyuki said, still hesitant but looking as if she was considering it. "I'm honored that you asked me, but won't it be awkward, considering our history? How will your bride react when she comes down that aisle and sees me standing beside you, knowing…you know…"

"That I love you?" he said, completing her thought. A smile tugged on his lips as Miyuki immediately turned a bright pink and pulled her hand out of his grasp. She was still as easy to fluster as she had been the first time they met.

"Minoru-san, you shouldn't say things like that!" she admonished, pivoting on the heel of her stilettos and crossing her arms indignantly over her chest. "Especially when you are about to marry another woman. What if Yanagazawa-san had heard you?"

Coming up behind her, Minoru placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her back around to face him. "Listen, Miyuki, I am always going to love you," he said with uncharacteristic seriousness, looking directly into her brown eyes. "Maybe not the way I loved you before, but you are always going to hold a special place in my heart."

"B-But what about Yanagazawa-san?" she asked.

"My feelings for you don't diminish what I feel for Jakakuerine," Minoru assured her. "I love her dearly, maybe even more than I loved you, if that is possible. But you were the first woman I ever loved, Miyuki, and those feelings are never going to fade away. Jakakuerine understands, because I know a part of her will always love Tenshi-chan's father. Just because a relationship doesn't work the way you expected doesn't mean you stop loving the other person. Maybe it's hard for you to understand since you are one of the lucky ones, but it's the way I feel, and I'm not ashamed to say it."

After his little speech, Minoru slowly released the grip he held on Miyuki's arms, unsure of how she would react. He had wanted to tell her how he still felt about her for sometime but could never find the right moment to do so. Perhaps now, only minutes before he was due to marry another woman, wasn't the best time either, but Minoru didn't regret it. There was a finality in telling Miyuki he loved her one last time, as if he had finally closed the door to that part of his life and now he could move on to the next.

"I-I-I don't know what to say," Miyuki stuttered after a few moments of awkward silence. "What can I say? I mean, I guess I'm flattered, that you would still…love me after all these years, even after the pain I must have caused you when I married Kazuya instead of you, but…"

"You don't have to say anything, Miyuki. I just wanted you to know how I felt."

"B-But…"

Chuckling, he placed a finger playfully on her lips to silence her. "Miyuki, the only thing I want you to say is 'yes'."

"Yes? Yes to what?" she asked suspiciously, moving the finger away.

"Yes to being my best man," he replied. "Will you do it?"

Sighing, Miyuki threw up her arms in mock surrender. "Fine, if it means that much to you, I'll be your best man," she declared. "Just don't expect me to wear a tuxedo."

Minoru laughed. "Don't worry. You look much better in that dress."

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Meanwhile, in the conservatory of the hotel, Keitaro sat on the ledge of one of the many majestic fountains decorating the place, debating whether or not he should leave. Minoru's wedding was about to begin in the hotel's chapel, but though he had been invited, Keitaro doubted his presence would be very welcome.

Not after what he had done.

He didn't even know why he had decided to come. Initially, attending the wedding had not been in his plans. Keitaro had expected to spend the day cooped up in meetings, but a last minute cancellation had left him with about a two hour window of rare free time. He'd thought about using it to catch up on some paperwork, but for reasons Keitaro still didn't understand, he ended up at the hotel instead.

"This is a waste of time," he muttered to himself, glancing down at his watch. "Either I need to go in there now or head back to the office. I don't have time to just sit here idly when there's work to be done."

The question was, which option did he want to pursue? He needed to make a final decision, and fast. There was no point in staying if he had no intention of going to the wedding. If he left now, Keitaro estimated he would have just enough time to play catch up and maybe even have a quick lunch before his next scheduled meeting.

Yet even after his brain rationalized it was probably best to leave, his body refused to move from its seat on the fountain's ledge. No matter what his brain said, his heart still wanted to be there for Minoru on his big day. Evidently, it hadn't received the memo that they were no longer friends.

Keitaro struggled, but in the end, his heart won. He sighed in defeat and began heading toward the chapel doors.

At the same time, however, the doors suddenly opened and somebody else stepped outside. Keitaro froze in his tracks, immediately recognizing the young woman's long raven hair and amethyst eyes. She didn't appear to see him, only stopping a moment to say something to Watanabe Kazuya, who had been supervising his children while they played in the conservatory, before walking away, but the brief glimpse of his daughter was enough for Keitaro to pause, shaken to the core.

"Rei-san," he whispered.

Keitaro didn't know why he was so surprised to see Rei there. On some level, he ought to have known she would be. Of course Minoru would have invited his beloved goddaughter to his wedding. Did he honestly think he wouldn't on the off chance the two of them might see each other? No, of course not. Keitaro never expected Minoru to choose between them, not when he knew how much he cared about them both.

But Keitaro did have a choice. Either he could leave now and head back to the office as he should have already or he could stay for the wedding and risk facing his daughter for the first time since he signed the emancipation papers. The first option was very tempting, and he even took a couple of steps in the direction of the hotel's exit, intending to leave, but again, he couldn't. He had to stay.

In fact, he _wanted_ to stay, he realized with some surprise.

So, after taking a few deep breaths to gather his courage, Keitaro walked over to the chapel doors and stepped inside.

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Returning to the dressing room, Rei found the bride-to-be in front of a full-length mirror, putting on a pair of stunning diamond chandelier earrings while humming _Here Comes the Bride_ cheerily to herself. Nearby, her young daughter spun around with glee, admiring her new blue dress trimmed with lace.

"Oh, Rei-san, there you are," Jacqueline said, smiling when she caught Rei's reflection in the mirror. "Did you tell Minoru I'm ready to begin?"

"Yes, I did," Rei answered, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "He said he's ready whenever you are."

"Good, good…" Frowning, Jacqueline turned around and shook her head, the diamonds sparkling in the light from the movement. Her golden blonde hair had been pulled into an elegant French twist, showing them off to maximum effect. "Do you think these are a bit much?" she asked. "They are rather formal for an afternoon wedding..."

"I think they look pretty, _Maman_ ," Angelique said, stopping in her twirls. "You look just like a princess."

_Just like a princess…_

Hearing those words suddenly reminded Rei of the night her mother died, and she felt a dull ache in her heart. She had said almost the same thing while she had been watching her mother dress for dinner with her father. The memory was an unwanted intrusion on what should have been a happy occasion, however, and Rei purposefully pushed it from her mind.

"They are very beautiful, Yanagazawa-san," Rei agreed, hiding her sudden sadness by walking over to the vanity where Jacqueline had set out her jewelry. She inspected the other choices and reached for a pair of pearl studs. "But I think these might be a better choice."

"My grandmother's pearl earrings?" Walking over, Jacqueline took the earrings from Rei's hand and smiled. "You know, I think you're right, Rei-san. These are the best choice. _Merci beaucoup_."

After replacing the diamonds for the pearls, Jacqueline moved once more in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection. Rei thought Minoru's bride looked positively beautiful in a knee-length, off-white silk dress with a classic V neckline. It was gorgeous, but understated. All she needed now was the small bouquet of red roses sitting on a chair, which Rei moved to get for her.

"Here are the flowers," Rei said, handing over the bouquet. "Are you ready to go?"

A hand resting on her slightly rounded stomach, Jacqueline nodded and smiled at her reflection. "As ready as I'll ever be. Come, let's not keep Minoru waiting."

The three of them then headed to the chapel, entering through one of the side doors instead of the main ones. Because it was such a small wedding, Jacqueline didn't bother walking down the aisle and immediately took her place at the altar beside a beaming Minoru. Rei, as maid of honor, followed suit, holding onto Angelique's hand, and on the opposite side, she saw Miyuki step into the place where the best man would have stood. The minister appeared a few moments later, apologizing for his tardiness, and began the ceremony.

Throughout the opening comments, Rei kept her eyes squarely on her godfather, thinking she had never in her life seen Minoru so happy. His smile practically lit up the chapel, and his eyes were filled with love as he stared at his lovely bride, hardly listening to the minister's words. It almost made her wonder if perhaps romantic love wasn't such a bad thing after all. The two of them certainly appeared to be on top of the world…

She didn't have time to ponder that question, for right before the minister moved on to the next part of the ceremony, the main door to the chapel creaked open. Minoru, hearing it first, whipped his head around, and if it was possible, his smile grew even brighter when he saw who it was. Rei, however, had a different reaction as she glanced toward the doors and saw the mystery guest silently slip into one of the back pews.

She paled.

Why had he come?

Minoru never mentioned her father was coming to the wedding. Sure, Rei had known it was a possibility considering they were best friends, but when Minoru had said all the guests had arrived before the wedding, she just assumed he had decided not to come, too busy with work as usual. It had been a relief, because she hadn't wanted to deal with the awkwardness that was sure to come with seeing her father for the first time after the emancipation was finalized.

But Keitaro had come, and now Rei had no earthly idea how to react. His presence completely knocked her off guard.

Should she smile? No, that didn't seem quite right. She was most definitely not happy to see him, and Rei had no intention of pretending she was, even if it would make her godfather happy to see them getting along.

Glare? That would be childish. It wasn't as if he was there because of her. The only reason he had probably decided to come was to see Minoru, which was hardly a crime.

Ignore him? That would work for a while, but she couldn't ignore him forever. Even though she was legally emancipated from him, Hino Keitaro was still her father, and it was inevitable they would cross paths sometime. It had been a silly idea to think she would never have to see him again just because she had herself declared legally an adult.

For the moment, however, Rei decided to play it cool and turned her attention back to the ceremony, which had continued after the brief interruption. Perhaps if she was lucky, her father would simply decide to slip out after the wedding was finished, and she wouldn't even have to deal with him. After all, Rei doubted he wanted to see her any more than she wanted to see him. It would be just like him to take the coward's way out of an uncomfortable situation. She held onto that hope throughout the remainder of the short ceremony, refusing to even look back at him as if somehow she could just wish him away.

It didn't work. As soon as the minister gave Minoru permission to kiss the bride, Rei looked toward the back of the chapel, panicked when she saw her father was still sitting in his pew and appeared to have no intention of leaving any time soon. Their eyes briefly met, and dozens of conflicting emotions began racing through her heart. Anger, pain, embarrassment, confusion, sadness… It was too much for her to bear. Quickly breaking away from his gaze, she let go of Angelique's hand, allowing the girl to run to her mother, then walked over to say goodbye to Minoru, anxious to leave as soon as she could.

"Congratulations, Uchizawa-san," Rei said, forcing a bright smile on her face. "It was a beautiful ceremony."

"Thank you," the groom said, sighing as he took her hands and frowned, evidently sensing her unease. "You're leaving, aren't you?" he asked.

"Well, I do have work to do at the shrine…"

"Rei-chan, you and I both know that is an excuse," Minoru said, seeing right through her lie. He glanced over to the back of the chapel and jerked his head in her father's direction. "You're leaving because of him, aren't you?"

Rei lowered her eyes and nodded, ashamed she was so easy to read. "I-I'm just not ready to see him again," she admitted. "Please, I don't want to cause an uncomfortable situation. Today is supposed to be about you and Yanagazawa-san. Don't make it about me and otou-sama."

"But you two haven't spoken in a year," Minoru protested. "Surely you can exchange a few polite words or something…"

His pleas fell on deaf ears as Rei pulled her hands away, seeing her father finally stand from his seat out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry, Uchizawa-san," she apologized, slowly backing away toward one of the side exits. "I have to go. I wish you and your bride all the happiness in the world. Goodbye."

"Rei-chan!"

Ignoring Minoru's call, she turned and fled the chapel, biting her lip to hold back sudden tears.

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Watching Rei run away, Minoru's shoulders slumped, defeated. He wished he could have convinced her to stay, at least for a few minutes longer. Rei and Keitaro really did need to talk to each other, no matter how much they denied it. They simply could not go on avoiding each other for the rest of their lives. Someday they were going to have to deal with what happened, whether they liked it or not.

At least Keitaro had stayed, Minoru thought with a private smile. He considered that to be a small step in the right direction. Keitaro could have bolted as soon as the ceremony was over, but the fact that he hadn't proved to Minoru that perhaps their argument the day of the funeral had not been a complete failure after all. Maybe the truth had finally sunk in, and he was ready to make amends. Wouldn't that be something?

Of course, Minoru now knew better than to get his hopes up too high, especially when they concerned Keitaro. He was aware that the probability of his friend turning a complete 180 in the span of couple of weeks was extremely low, but for Keitaro to even decide to attend the wedding after what had happened between them and knowing there was a good chance his daughter would be in attendance as well seemed like a major breakthrough. Now, if only he could get Keitaro and Rei to talk to each other…

"Penny for your thoughts, _chéri_ ," a lightly accented voice whispered in his ear, a pair of bare, slender arms wrapping around his waist.

Minoru smiled, instantly recognizing his wife's voice without turning around. "Oh, I was just thinking about how unbelievably happy I am," he said honestly, covering her hands with his own.

"And how you wish Rei-san and Hino-sama could find that same kind of happiness?" Jacqueline asked, amazing him once again by how it seemed sometimes as if she could read his mind.

Minoru nodded and turned around in her embrace so they were face-to-face. "Rei-chan left a couple of minutes ago. She could barely stand to be in the same room as Keitaro."

"She just needs more time. You can't rush these things. The road to forgiveness isn't always easy."

"I know, but I worry it might never happen now," he admitted, looking over his bride's shoulder at his best friend, standing silently in the back as if he didn't want to intrude. "Finally, after all these years, I think Keitaro might be ready to face what he did to her, but Rei-chan won't have anything to do with him. How can they reconcile if they won't even talk to each other? What if it's too late?"

Jacqueline pondered the question for a moment, then smiled, her hand falling to caress her stomach. "Minoru, do you remember what you said to me the day we found out I was pregnant?" she asked.

Not understanding what she was leading to, Minoru shrugged. "Who's the father?" he quipped, smiling at his own joke.

His new wife rolled her eyes. "Come on, I'm being serious here," she said, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders. "Remember? You told me, and I quote, 'It is never too late for anything as long as there is hope.'"

Minoru did remember saying that, quite clearly, in fact. It had been right after Jacqueline had showed him the results of the home pregnancy test about a month after he proposed and she was in disbelief, thinking in her late thirties, she was too old to so easily become pregnant without medical help. Before then, Minoru had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't have any biological children with Jacqueline, content at the prospect of being Angelique's stepfather, but the hope of having his own child someday had never completely died, and her unexpected pregnancy had proved, in his mind at least, that if you kept your hopes alive, it was never too late. They were living proof it was true.

But Minoru wondered with some sadness if either Keitaro or Rei had any hope left themselves of reconciling. Judging by the recent emancipation, it appeared neither did. They both had finally given up on each other after years of separation, and though Minoru's hope was still alive, he doubted even that would be enough.

"Thank you for trying to cheer me up, Jakakuerine," he said, enveloping his wife in a hug, "but I don't think my hope alone is enough to save them. In the end, only they can save themselves."

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From his viewpoint in the back of the chapel, Keitaro watched as his best friend and the bride embraced, debating whether or not he should walk over and say hello. He had hung back ever since Rei left, not wanting to intrude on what appeared to be a private moment between husband and wife, but if he didn't leave soon, he knew he would be late for his next meeting.

Fortunately, the decision was made for him when the couple finally broke apart and Minoru took his bride by the hand, leading her up the aisle toward him. "Keitaro, I'm glad that you came," Minoru said, smiling as though nothing had changed between them. "I didn't think you would, considering how we left things between us the last time we spoke…"

Glad that there didn't seem to be any awkwardness over what happened, Keitaro shook his head. "Forget it, Minoru," he insisted. "That is ancient history. I wouldn't have missed this wedding for the world. After all, it isn't every day my best friend, the confirmed life-long bachelor, gets married."

Minoru grinned from ear-to-ear, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist and pulling her close. "You got that right," he agreed. "I bet you never thought it was possible, that one day I would find a woman and settle down to raise a family."

"Oh, I wouldn't necessarily say that. I always thought it might happen if you found the right girl."

"Well, I can safely say I have," Minoru declared. "Jakakuerine is one of the best things that has ever happened in my life, and I can only hope she feels the same way about me."

"Of course I do, _chéri_ ," the lovely bride said, giving Minoru a light peck on the cheek.

"Then I suppose congratulations are in order," Keitaro said sincerely. Despite his own feelings toward love, he truly was glad to see his best friend finally settle down. He had long suspected marriage and a family was something Minoru had always wanted, even if the playboy tendencies of his younger years had suggested differently. "I'm very happy for you two, and I wish you all the best in the world."

"Thank you, Hino-sama. That's very kind of you to say."

"Yes, thank you, Keitaro. It really means a lot to me to hear you say that."

Just then, a blonde pixie wearing a dress of baby blue came up beside her mother, tugging on the bottom of Jacqueline's dress to get her attention. Jacqueline kneeled down and let the little girl whisper something in her ear before taking the child's hand. "Excuse us," the bride said. "Angelique and I will be in the ladies' room. We should only be gone a few minutes."

"Of course. Take your time," Minoru said. "You two just better not be thinking of sneaking out through one of the bathroom windows and leaving me here. I'm afraid it's already too late to change your mind about this marriage."

"We wouldn't dream of it."

After the girls left, the awkwardness Keitaro thought they had managed to avoid suddenly decided to rear its ugly head. Both men dug their hands in their pockets and remained silent, unsure of what to say without Jacqueline's presence to distract them from the things they really needed to talk about.

Finally, Minoru took the lead, taking a deep breath before he said, "Look, about what happened the day of Kondo-sama's fun-"

"I told you not to worry about it, Minoru," Keitaro interrupted, not wanting to talk about their infamous argument. Thinking about it only reminded him what a fool he had been. "I've forgotten all about what happened. It's in the past. We both said things that day we didn't mean, so there's no need to apologize for what was said during the heat of the moment. Just forget about it."

"But I want to apologize," Minoru maintained, for once being entirely traditional as he bowed deeply in apology. "Keitaro, what I said about you being like your father was completely out of line. I don't know how I could have said such a thing. My only defense is that I was too angry with you for skipping the funeral to think straight, but that is no excuse. What I said was uncalled for, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"No, I can't forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive," Keitaro said, taking a seat in one of the chapel's pews. "You were right about everything, only I was too blind to see it until now."

Sliding into the pew beside Keitaro, Minoru sighed. "No, I wasn't. I was wrong. You are not Hino-san."

"But I am, Minoru!" Keitaro insisted, his hands involuntarily clenching into tight fists. "I did the exact same thing to Rei-san that my father did to me all those years ago. I am no better than he was."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm afraid I have to disagree," Minoru said. "Yes, it is true that you pushed Rei-chan away, as Hino-san did you, but there is one major difference between you and your father, and it makes all the difference in the world."

"What's that?" Keitaro asked, looking over at his friend.

"You care about her, don't you?"

"I don't understand…"

"I saw you at the hospital, Keitaro," Minoru confessed. "I had just come back from lunch with Jakakuerine and went to check on Rei-chan. She was sleeping, but you were in there with her, talking to her."

Surprised Minoru knew about his secret visit to Rei's hospital room, Keitaro looked away. He thought he had been so careful not to be seen. Did that mean Rei knew about the visit as well? He couldn't imagine Minoru not telling her if he knew, but if she had been told, her request for emancipation was an even bigger slap in the face than before. She really did hate him, didn't she?

"You told me to come, so I did. It was nothing more than that," he explained softly, pushing the thoughts of Rei's rejection out of his mind.

Minoru shook his head, adamant. "No, I don't believe that. If you were only there out of duty to your daughter, you would have visited when Rei-chan was awake, no matter how she would react. But you didn't. You didn't even write a card for the flowers you brought her. If I hadn't have been there, nobody would have ever known about your visit."

"I don't see what that proves."

"It proves that you _wanted_ to see her, Keitaro," he declared. "You weren't there because you are her father and you felt you had to come. If that had been your purpose, you would have made sure somebody knew. Don't you see?"

"But I didn't plan to come while she was asleep," Keitaro admitted, ashamed. "It was only a coincidence. If Rei-san had been awake when I visited her, we wouldn't be having this conversation, and you know it."

"Why are you denying this?" Minoru demanded to know. "Why is it so hard to admit that you do care about her? I don't understand."

"Why are you so positive I do?" he shot back, more defensive than he had meant to sound.

"Because…" Minoru sighed, rubbed the back of his neck, then looked Keitaro straight in the eye. "Because I know you, Keitaro. We've been best friends ever since before grade school. You don't know someone for that long and not pick up a thing or two. Underneath that exterior of ice you seem so determined to keep frozen lies a warm heart aching to love."

"I never thought of you as the poetic type," Keitaro said.

Minoru laughed, but it was more of a dry chuckle than anything else. "Well, perhaps I was being a bit flowery, but you understand what I was trying to say," he said. "Your problem is that you are afraid to let anyone into your heart again. You're so scared of losing yet another person you care about, you hide your true feelings under a cover of indifference. Heck, maybe you've even managed to convince yourself you don't care, but you're not fooling me, Keitaro."

Keitaro abruptly stood, uncomfortable with where their conversation was heading. He had had enough. If he had known this was going to turn into yet another argument about Rei, he would have left as soon as the ceremony was over. "I don't need to listen to this -"

"Wait, don't go," Minoru pleaded. "I think you do need to hear it. It is high time I stop indulging these self-pity acts of yours. Believe me, the last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you, but I think in this case it might be the only way I can help you."

"Minoru, I don't need your help," Keitaro insisted, wishing he would leave well enough alone. Minoru was blind if he couldn't see that there was no hope of a reconciliation between him and his daughter. "It's too late for me. Can't you see that? Rei-san hates me. Didn't you see her today? She couldn't run out of here fast enough after the ceremony. And when I snuck in right before the minister began, her face was so cold…"

"It's never too late."

"I already signed the emancipation papers."

"So?"

Keitaro sighed, exasperated by having to explain something so obvious, and sat back down, realizing it was pointless to leave. "So, in the eyes of the law, Rei-san is an adult. She doesn't need me anymore, and that is the way she wants it."

"But what do you want?" Minoru gently asked.

"It doesn't matter what I want. I'm not going to force her into building some kind of relationship with me if that is not what she wants. I don't have that right anymore."

"But how do you know that isn't what she wants?"

"Minoru, Rei-san had Watanabe-san draw up the emancipation papers herself," Keitaro reminded him in case he had forgotten, which apparently he had. "It was her idea, not mine. If that doesn't prove she doesn't want me in her life, then I don't know what does."

"Well, have you ever considered the idea that maybe that wasn't what Rei-chan wanted, that she only had the papers drawn because she thought she didn't have another choice if she wanted to stay in Tokyo instead of moving to Nagano with Miyuki and her family?" Minoru suggested, causing Keitaro to frown.

"I would have let her move back into the manor if she had asked me. You know I wouldn't have turned her away if she needed me."

"Yes, but did you ever give her a reason to believe that?" he asked. "I mean, you were the one who allowed Kondo-sama to name the Watanabes as her legal guardians in case of his death instead of giving guardianship back to you."

"At the time the will was drawn, I thought she would be better off with Miyuki-san."

"But what about now?" Minoru pressed. "Do you still think Rei-chan would be better off living away from you?"

"Minoru, stop it," he ordered harshly. His voice echoed throughout the chapel, causing Keitaro looked down in embarrassment even though he and Minoru were the only ones present. "It doesn't matter anymore," he said, lowering his volume. "There's nothing I can do."

"Yes, there is," Minoru insisted. "If what I suspect is true, then all might not be lost. There's still hope."

Keitaro sighed once again, rubbing his forehead. Sometimes he wondered if Minoru only heard what he wanted to hear. It certainly seemed that way. "Have you not been listening to me? I told you Rei-san doesn't want anything to do with me."

"But you haven't even tried to change her mind," Minoru pointed out. "You're so set on this idea that Rei-chan hates you that you can't even consider the possibility that it might not be true."

"It is true."

Minoru shook his head. "I no more believe that than I do the idea that you don't care about her," he declared. "I agree that Rei-chan's behavior toward you over the past year has been less than friendly, and maybe she even thinks she hates you, but when it comes right down to it, she is more your daughter than either of you care to admit."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Keitaro asked as he looked back up, surprised that once again Minoru was comparing him to his daughter. Minoru had said almost the exact same thing that day at his office, and Keitaro still failed to see the similarities.

"It means you are both stubborn people afraid of rejection."

"Scared of rejection, huh?" Staring down at his hands, Keitaro thought over Minoru's statement. Perhaps there was a grain of truth to what he said. "Do you really believe that is why Rei-san had the papers drawn?" he asked. "Because she was afraid I would reject her if she asked to move back to the manor?"

"Yes, I do. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. You pushed her away for so long, it's only logical she would think that, don't you think? That's what happened with you and your father, wasn't it?"

Keitaro shook his head, the faint glimmer of hope disappearing at the mention of Hino Takeo. "That was different, Minoru. Otou-sama resented me for being born at the cost of okaa-sama's life. I knew he hated me right from the start."

"I'm sure Hino-san didn't hate you, Keitaro," Minoru replied. "I don't think it is possible for a man to completely hate his own child. He may have treated you badly, but I refuse to believe it was out of intentional malice."

"Then what?"

"I don't know. It could have been any number of reasons: alcohol, grief, fear…" Minoru shrugged. "You better than anyone ought to know how it feels to suddenly lose your wife and be left alone to raise a child. It's difficult to deal with something like that, and I know you both made some bad choices, but it wasn't out of hate."

"You know, I never thought about it like that," Keitaro admitted softly. "All I ever noticed were the cruel words and drunken rages. Even when I was older, I never stopped to consider why he did the things he did. I just assumed that otou-sama hated me."

"Is that what you want Rei-chan to think about you? That you hate her?"

"No, of course not."

"Then you need to tell her how you really feel," Minoru said, as if it was as simple as that. Keitaro wished it was.

"But how? Minoru, she doesn't want to see me."

"I don't know. All I do know is that you have a choice, Keitaro. Either you can let things continue as they are and risk never knowing your daughter, or you can ask her for a second chance and reclaim everything you thought you lost."

"But what if Rei-san refuses?" Keitaro asked.

"Then you will have lost nothing," Minoru answered, leaning back in the pew. "Look at it this way. If you don't at least attempt to make things right between you, then you will have already lost Rei-chan. But if she refuses, then at least you tried, right?"

"I suppose you're right…" he said with a deep sigh.

"Of course I'm right. When have I ever steered you wrong?"

"Do I need to answer that?" Keitaro asked, raising an eyebrow in his friend's direction.

"Haha, very funny," Minoru deadpanned. "But, really, in all seriousness, I think you should talk to Rei-chan. You have a real chance here of finally finding happiness again, and if you don't take it, I know you'll regret it. Forget all the pain and sorrow of the past, and let it go. It's time for you to move on with your life and focus on the future. That's what Takara-san and your uncle would have wanted, don't you think?"

"Thank you, Minoru," Keitaro said, giving him a small smile. "I'll think about it."

"Don't think, do." Minoru instructed, squeezing Keitaro's shoulder and standing up. "Well, I think I ought to go find my wife and Tenshi-chan. I can't imagine what can be keeping them. We're supposed to be on a plane heading for our honeymoon in a little over an hour."

"Oh, where are you going?" Keitaro asked, grateful for the change in subject.

"Marseilles, the south of France," Minoru answered. "Jakakuerine wants to introduce me to the in-laws. I have to admit I'm a little nervous. It has only been a year and a half since she divorced her first husband, and from what I hear, her parents positively adored him. I'm not sure how they'll handle the news that their daughter got married to man they've never even met before, especially one with my reputation."

"You'll be fine," Keitaro assured him. "With a little of that famous Uchizawa charm, you'll work them over in no time."

"We'll see." Minoru slipped out of the pew, getting ready to leave. "I guess I'll see you in a couple of weeks, then. You really must come over for dinner sometime when we get back. Jakakuerine is a fabulous cook, and I assure you that you won't regret it."

"I'd like that."

"Good. I'll call you with the details once we're back in town," Minoru promised.

"Have fun on your honeymoon."

"I intend to," he said with a sly wink, causing Keitaro to roll his eyes. Apparently some things never changed. "See you, Keitaro."

"Goodbye."

Minoru was halfway to the exit when Keitaro turned around in his seat, realizing he had forgotten something.

"Minoru?"

The redhead stopped and pivoted back around. "Yes?"

"I-I just wanted to thank you," he stuttered. "I might not have wanted to hear what you had to say, but you were right. I think I needed to hear it."

"It was nothing. After all, what are best friends for if they can't tell each other when they are being a complete idiot?"

Once Minoru was gone, Keitaro turned forward in his seat, exhaling deeply as he focused on the spot at the altar where his best friend and his lovely bride had exchanged their vows. It had been a beautiful ceremony, and Keitaro was glad he had decided to attend after all. He couldn't have been happier for Minoru.

But Rei…

The look on her face when he slid into the back pew right before the minister began the ceremony was still fresh in his mind. Such pain and sorrow had flickered in those purple eyes, so much like her mother's. Despite what Minoru had told him, Keitaro continued to hold little hope that he would be able to reconcile with his daughter. It was too little, too late. Even if he did apologize and ask for a second chance, what were the chances of Rei forgiving him after treating her so badly over the last decade? Would he have been able to forgive his own father if Hino Takeo had apologized to him before he died?

Keitaro shook his head. As much as he would like to say he would forgive him, Keitaro honestly didn't know how he would respond if that had happened. After the talk with Minoru, he felt he better understood the reasons behind his cruel and abusive behavior, but some scars ran too deep. How could a simple "I'm sorry" make up for years of pain and heartache?

"What should I do?" Keitaro asked aloud, looking up to the large and rather gaudy cross hung above the altar as his hands clasped in prayer on his lap. "You preach forgiveness, but how can I forgive him? How can I forgive myself? I can't possibly ask my daughter for that if I am unable to do so myself, can I? I didn't mean to hurt her, but I know I did. She didn't deserve it. I should have been there for her when she needed me, yet all I did was think of myself…my pain…my sorrow…my fear… How can I possibly expect her to forgive me for my selfishness?"

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About twenty minutes later, Rei stormed into the living quarters, glad that Miyuki and the rest of her family still had yet to make it back from the wedding. The last thing she felt like doing was explaining why she had left the hotel in such a hurry. All she wanted was to be alone for a while to sort out the tangled mass of feelings that had emerged from seeing her father for the first time in over year.

Why did he have to come to the wedding? He had completely ruined the first thing she had been even remotely excited about since her grandfather's death. Rei knew it was irrational to blame him for attending his own best friend's wedding, but she admittedly was not in a rational mood at the moment. All she saw was a world of red through her tear-filled eyes.

"Okay, Rei, you need to calm down," she said aloud to herself, forcing herself to take a few deep breaths as she entered the main area. "That's right, just breathe. Getting upset is not the way to deal with this. You were unprepared for what happened today, but that is no reason to fall to pieces. You're stronger than that, right?"

Right.

The breathing exercises did eventually calm her back down, and once she regained control of most of her emotions, Rei headed to her bedroom to change into something a little less formal, taking off her earrings and necklace along the way. It was only as she was putting them away in her jewelry box that she remembered that instead of her mother's ruby necklace, which she normally wore, she had decided to wear a tiny cross pendant to the wedding.

"Where did this come from?" Rei asked herself, holding the pendant up by its chain as she inspected it. She didn't recall a time when she didn't have it, yet for the life of her, she couldn't remember when she had received it. Obviously, it must have been while she was still a practicing Catholic, but who had given it to her? Her godfather?

Sitting down on her futon, Rei took the pendant and began rubbing her thumb over its surface. It was covered with filigree carvings, intricately beautiful and most likely very expensive judging by the small 18KT engraved on the back. Rei was far from being a jewelry expert, but she did know 18KT gold was top of the line. Too bad she hadn't thought to pawn it with the rest of her jewelry that day she went to Hideki's shop. It was probably worth quite a bit.

Why hadn't she pawned it, anyway? The pendant was nothing special. She rarely even wore it except on Christmas when she used to spend the holiday with her father…

"Otou-sama," she whispered, suddenly remembering. "He gave this to me, when I was a little girl. A Christmas present..."

Her fingers clasping around the tiny cross, Rei laid down on the futon, resting her head on a nearby pillow. Tears began to form in her eyes again, but now, instead of anger and bitterness, they were tears of sadness, leaving a salty taste on her lips as they rolled down her cheek. She tried to stop them, yet the river kept flowing endlessly, accompanied by the quiet sobs that shook her body like an earthquake.

Rei remembered that Christmas, the last before her mother died, well. It was one of the few happy memories she had of her childhood before moving to Hikawa. That had been the year her mother had given her Yoshi, the teddy bear she had made for her, and her father had bought her the pendant, by far her most extravagant present that year. As Rei recalled, when she had opened the present, her mother had lightly scolded him for spending so much money on something that she would probably lose in a matter of days, but Rei had promised she would take good care of it, so happy that her father had given her something so beautiful for Christmas. It had made her feel as if she was somebody special to him, that in spite of the lack of hugs and kisses, he had loved her.

What a fool she had been…

"Why couldn't you love me, otou-sama?" she asked between sobs. "What did I do wrong? Did you really think I was a freak? Or did you simply not want me?"

No answers came to her as Rei finally forced herself to sit back up on the futon, hiccupping as she used her blanket to dry her tears. She didn't even know why she was wasting her tears on that man. Standing up, Rei went over to her vanity and stared at her reflection in the mirror as she put the necklace away in her jewelry box.

Her reflection was not a pretty sight. Her hair, which had been pulled back away from her face by a thin purple headband, was full of tangles and knots, and her eyes were rimmed in red. The dress she had worn to the wedding was also covered in wrinkles. Reaching behind her back to unzip the sheath, she let it slide down to her feet and kicked it aside, now dressed only in a slip, and began yanking a brush through her wild mane of hair, barely acknowledging the pain. When she was finished, Rei then styled her hair in a simple braid and went to her closet to change into her normal miko attire.

"That's better, Rei," she said to herself, once more walking over to the mirror after she dressed and putting on her mother's necklace. Her eyes were still bloodshot, but she felt much more like her usual self again. She even managed a little smile at her reflection, remembering how her grandfather used to say she was the spitting image of her mother. Rei never saw it before, thinking he only said it to be nice, but today, the resemblance was almost uncanny.

The same pale, porcelain skin, the same raven black hair, the same violet eyes…

And suddenly, she had her answer.

"Okaa-sama," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I remind him of okaa-sama."

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After leaving the hotel, Keitaro didn't bother going back to the office as he had originally planned. Miss Katsuki practically had a heart attack when he called her on his cell phone to tell her to cancel the rest of the day's appointments, but after what had happened at the wedding, work was the last thing on Keitaro's mind. He needed to be alone.

"Where to, Hino-sama?" Ogata, his chauffeur asked, rolling down the window between them after Keitaro had finished making his call to his secretary. "The manor?"

Keitaro put the phone away and started to nod when another thought came to him as he looked out the window. They were just passing Tokyo Bay, the clear blue waters sparkling in the afternoon sunshine. "Why don't we go to the marina, Ogata-kun?"

"The marina?" Ogata didn't even try to hide his surprise, his eyes large as he glanced up at the rearview mirror. "Are you sure?"

Keitaro nodded. "You can drop me off near Pier 4."

"Yes, sir."

Rolling the partition back up, Ogata exited the highway and headed toward the pier. A short time later, they arrived. Keitaro got out of the limo, and after telling Ogata to pick him up in an hour, he made his way down to the beach below.

Even though it was a beautiful summer afternoon, the beach was surprisingly empty. Keitaro soon realized that was because most of people were already out on the water, either playing in the waves or riding on one of the numerous boats that dotted the horizon. He took off his jacket, aware of how silly he must look in a business suit on the beach when everybody else was in bathing suits and shorts, and placed it down on one of the sand dunes as a cushion to sit on.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he asked himself aloud, taking a good look at his surroundings. Surprisingly, not much had changed over the course of the almost twenty years since he and Takara had shared their first kiss along the water's edge. Even the old pier still stood, battered and stripped of its paint, although it wouldn't last much longer judging by the sign that said it was slated for demolition next month to make way for a new one. Keitaro was sad to learn it would be destroyed, but the news made him even more grateful he had decided to come before it was too late.

Why had he come, anyway? Keitaro still hadn't quite figured that out yet. It wasn't like him to blow off work to spend the day, of all places, at the beach, but something had drawn him there…

Almost unconsciously, he reached down and slid off his socks and loafers, setting them aside. The white sand of the beach felt warm and grainy between his wiggling toes, and for the first time in a long while, Keitaro actually smiled. It had indeed been a long time since he allowed himself such a simple pleasure. Closing his eyes, he lost himself in the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline until the soft thud of a beach ball awoke him from his reverie.

"Sorry," a sweetly high-pitched voice called out. "Would you mind throwing that back?"

Opening his eyes, Keitaro reached for the nearby ball and glanced up at the little girl running toward him, blinking. "It can't be!" he whispered, feeling as if he had just seen a ghost.

The girl coming over was about seven or eight years old and wore an adorable pink _Hello Kitty_ swimsuit. Her hair was very dark, and he could have sworn her eyes were purple. Keitaro blinked again, sure his eyes were playing tricks on him. She looked so much like Rei…

"Mister, are you feeling okay?" the little girl asked, finally stopping in front of him. She wore a confused look on her face as she towered over him, hands on her hips.

"I-I'm fine," he managed to say once he cleared his head. Now that she was closer, Keitaro could see her hair was actually brown instead of black as he had first thought, and her eyes were a dark blue that could have been easily mistaken for purple. Feeling silly, he shook his head and held the large beach ball out to her. "I just thought you were somebody else. Here, I believe you were looking for this?"

"Yes, thank you, mister," she said, gratefully taking the ball but not leaving. Instead, much to Keitaro's surprise, the girl took a seat in the sand next to him and placed the ball in her lap. "Who did you think I was before?" she asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"My daughter," he answered, not sure why he felt the need to share such personal information with a child.

The girl's face lit up. "You have a daughter? Cool! Is she here? Maybe we can play together. My meanie onii-chan doesn't want to play with me anymore. He thinks he's too tough and grown-up to play with his little sister. He'd much rather play kissy-face with his girlfriends."

Keitaro shook his head. "No, she's not here. She's almost grown-up now, too."

"Oh." The girl was disappointed for little more than a second before her face again broke into a huge smile, not letting the news keep her down for long. "Well, I'm Inoue Ai," she introduced herself, holding out her hand. "What's your name, mister?"

Keitaro stared at Ai's outstretched hand for a second in confusion before he hesitantly returned the shake, still not sure of what to make of the friendly little girl. "I'm Hino," he said. "It's nice to meet you, Inoue-san."

At that, Ai giggled. "Inoue-san? That's my parents' name! Call me Ai-chan like the rest of my friends, Hino-san."

"Okay, Ai…chan."

The honorific sounded strange and foreign coming from his lips, but Ai didn't seem to notice, staring at him rather intently with her large, round eyes. Somewhat embarrassed by the girl's apparent fascination with him, Keitaro coughed into his fist. Why hadn't she left yet? He wasn't the type of person kids normally took interest in.

"You're dressed funny," the little girl finally said. "You look like Papa when he goes to his office. He always wears suits and ties, except for today. Today he's wearing funny underwear."

"Is that so?" he asked, mildly amused. So that's why she had found him so interesting - his clothes.

"Yeah! Mama says it's called a Speedo. They're really tight, and Mama says he's too fat to wear them, but Papa won't listen."

"Ah… Well, I wasn't exactly planning to come here today," Keitaro explained, reaching up to loosen his tie. "It was a last minute sort of thing."

"So, you're playing hooky?" Ai asked.

"I…uh…suppose you could say that."

Ai nodded. "Yeah, that's what Papa's doing, too. He told his boss he was sick, but really, he just wanted to take us to the beach for Mama's birthday. Don't say anything though," she warned, bringing her finger to her lip and shushing him. "He'll get in really big trouble if his boss finds out."

Despite himself, Keitaro found himself smiling at the girl's silly antics. She really was cute as far as kids went. "Don't worry, Ai-chan," he assured her. "Your father's secret is safe with me."

"And I won't tell anybody about you, either," she promised with a wink. "Where do you work anyway? Are you a lawyer? My papa's a lawyer. He helps put the bad guys away."

"Kind of. I'm a member of the Diet. We're the people who actually make the laws your father upholds."

"That is so cool!" Ai exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "We're going to start studying about the Diet once the second trimester of school starts. Fukui-sensei says we might even take a class trip to the Diet building."

"You like learning about the government and the law?" Keitaro asked. He found himself beginning to rather enjoy their conversation in spite of Ai's age. Her enthusiasm about the possible field trip to the Diet building reminded him of how excited he had been as a boy when his class had gone, one of the few truly happy memories he had from his childhood.

Ai nodded. "Yeah. Someday I'm going to become a lawyer just like Papa."

"I see. That's a big dream for such a little girl."

"Yeah, that's what Mama says," she said. Setting the ball aside, Ai drew her knees to her chest and sighed. "She thinks it's silly for a girl to want to become a lawyer, but I don't care. Papa's my idol, and I want to be just like him."

Hearing that, Keitaro suddenly felt a dull ache in his heart. How lucky Mr. Inoue was to be considered an idol by his daughter…

"Ai-chan, you love your father a lot, don't you?"

"Oh, yes. He's the best. Papa's kind, and smart, and funny, and he loves Mama, onii-chan and me very much. He's the greatest father a girl could hope for."

"I envy him," Keitaro said quietly to himself, not realizing Ai had heard him until the little girl scooted closer, stopping when she was finally sitting right beside him.

"You look sad, Hino-san," she said, again staring at him with those inquisitive eyes. "Why do you envy Papa?"

"It's nothing. I just think your father is lucky to have a daughter who loves and admires him so much, that's all."

"Doesn't your daughter love you?"

"No, she doesn't," Keitaro admitted. "We haven't even spoken in over a year."

Ai frowned. "But why? You seem really, really nice."

"You think so?" Keitaro half-heartedly chuckled, thinking children really were such innocents. If only she knew how cruel he could really be. "Thank you for saying so, but I'm not nice at all. I was a cowardly person who rejected my own daughter at the time she needed me most. I hurt her so badly…"

"But you're sorry for it now, aren't you?" Ai asked. "You should apologize if you hurt her. That's what Papa always tells me and onii-chan to do when we do something bad."

"That's good advice, but I don't think Rei-san will ever find it in her heart to forgive me."

"Rei-san?" she repeated, cocking her head to the side. "Hino Rei-san? Is that her name, your daughter?"

"Yes."

"It's pretty, 'spirit of fire.' I bet she's very beautiful, too."

"She looks like her mother," he replied softly, surprised when he didn't feel the overwhelming sorrow that usually accompanied the reminder of how much Rei resembled Takara.

"You miss her, don't you?" Ai asked, causing Keitaro's eyes to widen slightly behind his glasses as he turned his head toward his young companion.

"Who? Rei-san?"

The girl shook her head. "Your wife."

"But how…?" Keitaro stared at the little girl. "How did you know my wife had died?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Ai began building a crude sandcastle with her hands. "I didn't, at least not for certain. I just know that if I stopped talking to Papa, Mama would have forced us to make up, no matter what, so I figured either your wife had gone to heaven or you were divorced."

"You're very smart for your age, Ai-chan," Keitaro said, sighing as he began watching the waves crash against the shore. If he tried hard enough, he could almost imagine it was the day of the rally again, and he was watching Takara, his beautiful sprite, dancing at the water's edge, her laughter like sunshine on the waves.

"So, do you miss her?" Ai asked again.

"Yes, very much so."

"I know how you feel. My cat died a couple of months ago, and I miss her very much," the girl said. "But Papa let us keep one of her kittens, so it's not so bad. With Yumi around, it almost seems like a part of her mother is still around. They even kinda look alike. Yumi of course could never really replace Michi, but it's nice to have a reminder of her."

"Is that so?"

Ai nodded. "Don't you feel the same way about your daughter, Hino-san?"

"Actually, I didn't want to be reminded of my wife," he confessed. "It hurt too much. That's part of the reason why I pushed Rei-san away from me when her mother died."

Again, Keitaro was surprised about how willing he was to talk to Ai about the things he never even dared to discuss with his best friend. If her plan to become a lawyer fell through, she had a great career as a journalist ahead of her. There was just something about Inoue Ai that made him feel as if he could tell her anything.

"Oh, I see…" Ai murmured, digesting what he said.

"You think I'm a horrible person now, don't you?" Keitaro asked when she didn't say anything further. "I wouldn't blame you if you did. I think the same thing of myself."

Placing a finger on her cheek, Ai contemplated his question for a long moment before finally shaking her head. "No, I don't think you're a horrible person at all, Hino-san," she declared, standing up. "Just sad. So very, very sad…"

Before he even realized what was happening, Keitaro felt a pair of short arms wrap around his neck, the little girl hugging him tightly. His entire body stiffened in her embrace at first, unaccustomed to anybody, much less a child, showing him affection, but soon he relaxed, finding a strange comfort in the arms of the girl appropriately named "Love." If asked, Keitaro would never be able to completely explain how he felt at that moment, only that for the first time since Takara's death, he felt warm again, like a fire was burning inside his chest, chasing away the coldness.

"Ai-chan! Where are you?"

Hearing her name being called, Ai turned around to glance behind her. "Oh, that's Papa," she said, finally releasing Keitaro from her embrace. "I almost forgot we were supposed to be playing catch. I guess I better go before he gets worried."

"That's probably a good idea. I don't want you to get in trouble on account of me," he said, reaching for the beach ball. "Here, you don't want to forget this."

Thanks," Ai said, bowing politely before taking the ball. "It was nice talking to you. I hope you and Rei-san make up soon."

"It was great talking to you, too, Ai-chan," Keitaro said honestly. "Study hard, and I'm sure you will become a wonderful lawyer someday."

"I will, Hino-san. Bye-bye!"

With a final wave goodbye, Ai ran off, Keitaro watching until he made sure she had found her father. The little girl jumped into a slightly overweight, balding man's waiting arms, giving him a kiss on the cheek, then they walked off hand-and-hand to resume their game. Keitaro sighed, feeling a slight twinge of jealousy at how happy the two of them seemed together, and leaned back on his hands as he reflected on their conversation.

To think that a little girl, a complete stranger, could listen to him as he confessed his sins toward Rei and then treat him with compassion instead of hate… He didn't know what to make of it. How could anybody be that forgiving, especially to somebody they didn't even know? He couldn't even forgive himself for what he had done, yet Ai had done so without a second thought, showing a maturity far beyond her years. If he didn't know better, he might have thought she was some kind of angel.

But that was ridiculous.

Wasn't it?

"You're really losing it, Keitaro," he said to himself, shaking his head. "Ai-chan is just a little girl on holiday with her family. All this sun must be going to your head."

Still, he couldn't resist taking another look in the direction where Ai and her father had walked off, wondering if they were still there. They weren't, but Keitaro rationalized that they could have gone out into the water or disappeared for any number of reasons, none which involved heavenly intervention. He was sure that if he took the time to look for them, he would find them building a sand castle or playing with that ball somewhere farther down the beach, but realizing how stupid he would seem if he actually did try to find them again, Keitaro decided against it, looking down at his watch instead to see it was almost time for Ogata to pick him back up.

After slipping back into his shoes, Keitaro stood and dusted the sand off his jacket, folding it over his arm as he took one final glance at the gently rolling waters, his soul at peace for the first time in what felt like years. Even if Ai wasn't an angel, with that one hug, she had managed to do the one thing he never thought possible:

She melted his heart.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A week passed since Minoru's wedding, and Rei was finally truly on her own. Miyuki and her family had left that morning on the train back home to Nagano. The shrine seemed eerily quiet when Rei returned from the train station without hearing the usual hustle and bustle she had grown accustomed to ever since her grandfather's death, but she was determined not to let it bother her, humming a Japanese folk song to herself as she headed to her bedroom to change into her robes and prepare for her visit to the cemetery.

Not only was it her first day as an independent adult, it was also the start of Obon, a Buddhist festival honoring the dead. She had already gone to the cemetery once that morning with Miyuki to clean the grave stones before they left for the station, but Rei wanted to go again for a more personal visit. Gathering the two bouquets she had bought on her way home - one of chrysanthemums and the other of calla lilies - and some sticks of incense, she left and headed to the cemetery near Hikawa.

The cemetery was surprisingly empty when Rei arrived, a fact she attributed to the darkness of the skies, which were covered in a blanket of gray clouds and hid the sun. A storm was brewing in the distance, but she estimated she would have enough time for a short visit before things got really bad. Tightening her grip on the flowers, Rei made her way down the now familiar path to the sakura tree and stopped in front of the two newly cleaned graves.

"Hello, okaa-sama, ojii-san," she greeted them, her voice only slightly shaking as she kneeled down and placed the flowers on their proper graves, the chrysanthemums for her grandfather and the lilies for her mother. "It's me again, Rei. I brought you some flowers. They're nothing much, but I remember you telling me once that chrysanthemums were your favorite flowers, right, ojii-san? And okaa-sama, yours were the cherry blossoms. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you a sakura bouquet, but I hope you like the lilies. The florist said it was the most beautiful bouquet she had in the store. They are very pretty…"

Her voice broke off as she fingered one of the delicate white flowers, their beauty reminding her of her mother, so fragile yet beautiful. Perhaps that was why she had been drawn to them at the florist's after she remembered the cherry blossoms were out of season. Closing her eyes, Rei could almost imagine that instead of a petal, she was touching the thin, soft skin of her mother's hand.

"I miss you, okaa-sama," she whispered, opening her eyes once again and folding her hands in her lap. "I miss both of you so much. I feel so lost and lonely now, and I don't know what to do. Watanabe-san went back with her family to Nagano this morning, and Uchizawa-san is still in France on his honeymoon. There's nobody to take care of me, and for the first time, I feel truly alone. I thought I could handle it, really I did, but now that it is actually happening… Maybe I should have gone with Watanabe-san. I don't know if I'm ready to be on my own yet. It's so overwhelming."

Rei didn't truly understand the depth of her feelings until they started pouring out of her, her eyes welling with unshed tears. She had tried so hard to keep her fears at bay, but virtually alone in the cemetery where nobody she knew could see her, the barriers she had built up were broken down.

"What should I do, ojii-san, okaa-sama?" she asked the tombstones after pausing to wipe away a tear that had rolled down her cheek. "It's not too late to accept Watanabe-san's offer to stay with them in Nagano. Before she left, she said I was welcome at their home any time if I changed my mind. But I don't want to leave Hikawa or my wonderful friends. I have responsibilities here that I can't run away from."

As expected, the tombstones provided no answers, and Rei sighed, her fingers running across her grandfather's family name, engraved into the stone. She felt as if she were seven years old again, scared and alone and wanting nothing more for things to go back to the way they used to be. When her mother died, he had been the one to comfort her through her pain, but who would comfort her now? Who could she turn to?

"Otou-sama?" she whispered, the word slipping from her mouth without warning.

Surprised, Rei touched her fingers to her lips, wondering what would make her say such a thing. What a ridiculous suggestion! Hino Keitaro was the last person she would seek comfort from. It was his fault she had sought emancipation in the first place.

But though she tried to push the memory away, Minako's words the day of the transplant echoed in the back of her mind:

_Uchizawa-san says your father really is a good person at heart, just scared. I don't really understand what he was saying, but maybe if you give Hino-sama another chance and show him that love is nothing to be afraid of…_

Were they right? Was it possible that her father was not as cruel-hearted as she had thought?

She shook her head. Impossible! What kind of man put his career above his own family, including a sickly wife who, in spite of the lack of attention he gave her, had loved him until the end? What kind of man abandoned his own daughter with the grandfather she had just met, tearing her from everything and everyone she had loved? What kind of man went out of his way to avoid seeing her at all costs, even on her birthday?

Hino Keitaro wasn't scared of love; he was incapable of love. It was as simple as that.

Wasn't it?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in his office downtown, Keitaro was busy at his desk, mindlessly finishing some paperwork. The faint sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, but he barely noticed it, his mind elsewhere.

It had been like that for the past several days, ever since Minoru's wedding. Keitaro had simply not been able to concentrate on his work, his usual method of distraction failing him for the first time in a long while.

"Hino-sama?"

Glancing up from his papers, Keitaro looked over at the door where his secretary stood expectedly, a file folder held close to her chest. "Yes, Katsuki-kun?" he said. "Is there a problem?"

"I brought the file you wanted," she announced, coming forward. "The one about the research being done on the Delta accident from a few years ago?"

"The Mugen Gakuen explosion?"

"Yes, sir. You wanted it for the meeting with those environmental lobbyists?"

"Oh, yes, the meeting with Oyamada-san," he said, finally remembering. "Thank you."

Miss Katsuki frowned as she handed him the folder. "Hino-sama, is something bothering you?" she asked, her usually monotonous voice showing concern. "It's probably none of my business, but you've seemed…out of sorts, lately. Ever since that day you inexplicably left in the middle of the work day, you haven't been able to concentrate on anything."

"That's not true."

"It's not? Then have you finished that paperwork I gave you this morning? It shouldn't have taken you more than an hour."

Keitaro looked down at the stack in front of him, ashamed and a little bit shocked when he saw he was only halfway through. He didn't realize he was that far behind. Usually going through his paperwork was a snap. "Well, no, but…"

"Perhaps you should take a vacation," she suggested. "Your workload for the week is very light, and it is the beginning of Obon, so -"

"Obon? That's this week?" he asked.

"You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't realize." Opening one of the drawers of his desk, Keitaro pulled out his personal planner and turned to that day's date. Sure enough, it was the first day of Obon, the Buddhist festival honoring the dead. "So it is," he said, unsure why he was suddenly so concerned about a holiday he never celebrated. As far as he had always been concerned, Obon was just another mark on the calendar.

"I'm sure everybody would appreciate a couple of days off to go visit their loved ones," the secretary continued somewhat hesitantly, her eyes downcast. "After all, most of the other offices are closed or working shorter days…"

Seeing where she was heading with her none-too-subtle hints, Keitaro smiled kindly. "Katsuki-kun, if you want to take a few days off, all you have to do is ask me," he said, closing the planner and placing it back in its proper drawer. "You don't have to be so sneaky about it."

"But I couldn't, not on such short notice. It's too late to find a temp to take my place for a couple of days."

"I'm sure I can handle things here by myself. You said yourself that my schedule was light this week," he reminded her. "In fact, send out a memo to the rest of the office announcing that anybody who wants to take the holiday may as soon as they finished today's work."

"Really?" For one of the few times since they started working together, Miss Katsuki truly smiled, bowing deeply in thanks. "Oh, thank you, Hino-sama. You don't know how much this means to me. My brother passed away last year, and I was hoping I would be able to visit his gravesite in Kyoto."

"It's nothing, Katsuki-kun. You should be with your family. All I ask before you leave is that you send out that memo and reschedule any non-urgent meetings to next week."

"Of course. I'll get right on it," she promised, heading to the door to leave. "Thank you again, sir."

After the door closed behind her, Keitaro exhaled, his eyes falling upon a single picture frame sitting on his desk. He had taken it out of storage a few days previous, mainly because of the feelings which had been sparked by his meeting with Inoue Ai. Reaching for the heavy gold frame, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the happy family portrait.

"Oh, Takara, I've really messed things up, didn't I?" he asked the beautiful woman dressed in green in the photograph. "I wish you were still here. You and Rei-san had such a special bond. If anybody could heal the rift between us, it would be you. You always knew what to say to her, how to comfort her… I don't even know where to start."

Shaking his head, Keitaro placed the picture frame facedown on the desk and sighed. What was he talking about? Takara was gone. She couldn't help him either.

Or could she?

Opening his desk drawer once again, he pulled out his planner and turned to the page he had looked up only moments before. Obon - the week the dead supposedly came back to Earth to communicate with their loved ones. He didn't necessarily share that belief, but something inside him was telling him to go to the cemetery.

Pressing a button on his intercom, Keitaro buzzed his secretary. "Katsuki-kun, are you still there? Will you call Ogata-kun and have him meet me outside the building with the car?"

"You're leaving?" she asked over the speaker as he stood up and began putting his things away. "But what about your meeting with Oyamada-san and the environmentalists? They're supposed to be arriving in half an hour."

"Cancel it," he ordered. "Tell them I will see them tomorrow. I have something to take care of, and it can't wait."

"Yes, sir. It will be difficult to get a hold of everybody on such short notice, but I'll try. I'll also call for Ogata-kun."

"Thank you, Katsuki-kun."

A short time later, he was on his way to the one place he never thought he would visit again.

The cemetery near Hikawa.


	18. Epilogue

"Otou-sama."

Slowly, Rei rose from her kneeling position in front of her mother's grave to face the man behind her. His face registered shock at her presence, and for a few moments, neither said a word. They simply stared at each other, unsure of how to act after so much time apart.

"I was just leaving," Rei finally said in a cool voice, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them. "Goodbye, otou-sama."

She turned to leave, having no desire to stay as long as he was there, but was stopped by a surprisingly gentle hand on her arm. "Please, Rei-san," her father said. "Don't leave on my account. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'll leave, if that is what you want."

Rei lifted her gaze to meet eyes of stormy gray, backing away from his touch. Was that what she wanted? To be truthful, she wasn't completely sure. The rational part of her was screaming, "Tell him to leave me the hell alone," but for some reason, she couldn't force the words out of her mouth.

She silently cursed the part of her who still longed to be accepted by her father. He had made it perfectly clear when he signed the emancipation papers that he didn't care to be a part of her life anymore, so why couldn't she accept it?

"Stay if you like," Rei said in an emotionless monotone, wrapping her arms around herself as she stepped out of the way to stand under the sakura tree. "I won't stop you. You have every right to be here, I suppose."

Her father's eyes widened a little bit behind his gold wire-rimmed glasses; obviously he had been expecting her to answer in the negative. "T-Thank you," he stuttered.

Kneeling down on the grass in front of Hino Takara's grave, with little regard to ruining the expensive suit he wore, her father clasped his hands together and bowed his head. Rei could just barely make out the words of a Catholic prayer coming from his lips, foreign inside the Buddhist cemetery, but beautiful and heartfelt just the same. When he was finished, he repeated the prayer in front of the second gravestone beside her mother's.

"Thank you," she said softly once he had completed the second prayer and stood. "You didn't have to do that."

Her father glanced over at her and smiled sadly. "He was a good man, Rei-san. Kondo-sama took care of you when I couldn't, and for that, I will be forever grateful."

"Yes, I miss him a lot."

Sighing, Rei came back around to the front of the two graves, staring at her grandfather's name carved into the granite, so final and permanent. For a long moment, the two stood in respectful silence until her father finally cleared his throat, reminding her of his presence.

"I'm sorry I couldn't attend Kondo-sama's funeral," he apologized. "I-I wanted to come, but…"

"But you had work to do," Rei said, completing his sentence for him. There was a trace of bitterness in her voice that she couldn't hide as she remembered that day, ruining the unstable peace between them. "It's always the same old excuse, isn't it, otou-sama?"

He didn't deny it, his free hand sliding into the pocket of his grass-stained pants as he averted his gaze away from her to the graves. "Yes, that's true," he admitted, drawing in a deep breath. "But there was…"

"What?"

After a slight pause, he shook his head. "No, never mind. It isn't important now," he said with a defeated sigh. "I should probably be going now. I've overstayed my welcome here. I'll let you get back to your prayers. I'm sorry I interrupted you. It won't happen again."

This time, when he turned to leave, Rei was the one to stop him. It was an unconscious reflex on her part. She didn't even realize she was gripping his arm until her father gasped, staring at her hand with the same look of shock on his face as before. Embarrassed, Rei let go, but didn't back away.

"Why did you come here today?" she demanded to know. "You never bothered to visit okaa-sama's grave before. Why today? Why now, after all these years?"

"It is Obon, is it not? I thought it was a time for people to pay respect to their deceased relatives."

"It is, but I've never known you to celebrate it, otou-sama."

"No, I don't," he said softly, looking away. "I don't know why I came. Maybe it was a mistake."

"Why? Because I'm here?" she asked, struggling to remain cool despite the tears of hurt she felt welling in her eyes. Rei turned her face away, not wanting her father to see. "Is that it?"

"No, Rei-san, of course not," he answered a little too quickly. He paused, most likely realizing how it must have sounded, and came up behind her, hesitantly resting his hands on her arms. "I wanted to see you, Rei-san."

"You did?"

Rei wasn't sure if she should believe him or not. He hadn't acted like he had wanted to see her when he realized she wasn't her mother's ghost or whatever it was he thought he saw. In fact, it seemed her very presence had pained him. If he had wanted to see her so badly, then why did he ask her if she wanted him to leave, practically begging her to say "yes"?

Behind her, her father removed his hands from her arms and sighed. "This was a mistake. I don't know what I was thinking."

"What is a mistake?" Rei asked, turning back around. "Why did you want to see me?"

"I wanted to ask… To ask how you were doing."

"Oh." That was it? Rei frowned, unsure why she felt so disappointed by the question. "Well, I'm fine, otou-sama," she lied, refusing to look him in the eye. "You don't need to worry about me."

"That's good to hear."

"Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Yes," he said after a long pause. "I'm happy things are going so well for you."

"They are."

"Then…I suppose I will go now. I'm sorry I bothered you," he apologized with a polite bow before turning once again to leave.

Watching him walk away, Rei was overwhelmed by confusion. She didn't know why, but she sensed he had meant to ask her a much different question than the one he had asked. Why had he changed his mind at the last minute?

And even more importantly, why did she care so much?

"Otou-sama, stop," she suddenly called out, causing her father to stop in his tracks and turn back around.

"Yes? What is it?"

"What did you really want to ask me?" she asked, her hands on her hips. "Why did you really come here?"

"I-I told you I don't know why I came," he stuttered. "I thought I could find it here, but I was wrong."

"It? What 'it'?"

He sighed, his head hung low. "I don't know, Rei-san. A sign, a vision, perhaps… I have no idea."

"Then how do you know you haven't found it?" she asked.

"What?"

"'It,'" Rei said, stepping forward so she stood only feet away from him. "If you don't know what it was you were looking for, then how can you be sure you haven't found it? For all you know, it could be right in front of you and you wouldn't even see it."

"I…don't know. I guess I wouldn't," he admitted.

"What was the question, otou-sama?" she asked again. "The question you wanted to ask me before but didn't? I know you changed your mind. Was it because you didn't find what you were looking for?"

Her father visibly paled. "Rei-san… I can't."

"You can't what?" she asked, growing frustrated with his vague answers and confusing riddles. "Why can't you answer me? Are you such a coward, you can't even talk honestly with your own daughter?"

"I don't have the right to ask you, Rei-san," he answered, his soft voice hard to make out over the sound of the approaching thunder. Rei had to strain her hearing to understand him.

"The right?" she repeated. "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

Just then, the light drizzle that had been falling for the past few minutes became a downpour, the heavens showering them with their tears. Her father opened the umbrella he had the good fortune to bring with him and walked over to where Rei stood, offering shelter from the rain.

"Rei-san, let me walk you back home," he offered. "You're going to catch a cold if we stay out here."

"Why do you even care if I do?" she asked, stepping out from underneath the protection of her father's black umbrella and back into the rain. Her hair and robes were soaked within a matter of seconds, but Rei couldn't have cared less. "You never cared about me, otou-sama!" she accused, hating the tears she knew were running down her cheeks, mingling with the raindrops. "You never did!"

"That isn't true," he said in a low voice, looking so defeated by her words, Rei almost believed him until she remembered all the pain and disappointment he caused over the years. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to stand there and insist he had cared about her after all he had done to prove he didn't.

"You don't have to pretend. I'm not your liability anymore," she reminded him, turning around and crossing her arms over her chest. "You gave up your responsibilities as a father when you signed the emancipation papers."

"Yes, I did, because I thought that was what you wanted, Rei-san. It was what you wanted…wasn't it?"

"What do you know about what I want? You never even asked me."

"But you were the one who had the papers drawn. I assumed that meant you wanted me to sign them."

"I did," Rei admitted, sniffling as she wiped her eyes with a rain-soaked sleeve. "At least I thought I did…"

"Thought? Rei-san, what do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. What is done, is done, and there is nothing we can do to change that, so just leave me alone."

Hearing a sigh coming from behind her, Rei thought her father would do just that, but much to her surprise, he didn't. A pair of warm arms, hesitant at first, wrapped around her, and she found herself turning back around, burying her face in his shoulder as she cried the tears she had tried so hard to hide.

"It's okay, Rei-san," her father whispered as he awkwardly stroked the back of her head. "It's okay to cry."

Rei, surprised those words had come out of the mouth of a man who gave new meaning to the word "emotionless", glanced up to find his stony gray eyes were also filled with tears. "You're crying, too, otou-sama," she said with amazement. "Why are you crying?"

"I-I don't know," he said, looking about as shocked as she was when he reached up to wipe away a teardrop from his cheek. "I didn't realize…"

"Realize what?"

Closing his eyes, he pulled Rei back into his embrace and held her tighter than before. "How much I wanted this," he whispered. "I-I'm so sorry, Rei-san. For everything."

No matter how many times she had dreamed of hearing those words come from his mouth, nothing could have prepared Rei for the actual experience. She lifted her head back off his shoulder and met his gaze, unsure of how she should respond. "You're what?" she asked, thinking she must have heard him wrong. "What did you say?"

He sighed, releasing her from his grasp. "I said I was sorry," he repeated, his voice stronger the second time. "I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but I truly am sorry for everything I have done to cause you pain. I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping you away from me, but I realize now I was wrong."

"I don't understand… Do you realize how long I've waited to hear you apologize and to take me back to the manor with you so we could be a family again?" Rei challenged, not waiting for him to hazard a guess. "It's been ten years, otou-sama. _Ten_ years. Why are you doing this now, after so much time has passed? Did you honestly think I would be able to forgive you just like that? That I would be able to forget all the times you made me feel as if I didn't even exist in your life?"

He shook his head. "No, of course not. I have no expectations of you. I would understand if you couldn't find it in your heart to forgive me. I know how difficult that is."

"Do you really?" she wondered aloud, stepping back. "You don't even know me, otou-sama. How can you possibly claim to understand how I feel, what I am thinking?"

"You're right, I don't know you," he admitted. "But I do understand your feelings toward me, Rei-san, much better than you might think. They're the same feelings I've dealt with practically my whole life."

"You're lying. You couldn't possibly know…"

"…how it feels to be rejected by the one person who should have loved you most? To feel as if you were nothing to that person? To think you weren't good enough, no matter how hard you tried?"

With every question he posed, Rei felt a part of her anger fade away. She couldn't believe it. Her father was rattling off a list of every emotion and thought that had plagued her heart for years. He may as well have been reading an entry from one of the private diaries she used to keep when she was younger.

"B-But how do you know?" she asked.

"It's a long story," he replied with a sad smile. "And one I'd rather not rehash here in the rain. Look at you, you're soaked to the bone."

Rei shivered, only then realizing how cold she was, and began rubbing her arms. "I'm okay," she lied.

"Let me take you home, Rei-san," he insisted, once again offering the shelter of his umbrella. "It's the least I can do."

She hesitated at first, but slowly Rei took the hand her father held out to her, allowing him to pull her underneath the umbrella. Then, without a word, they left the cemetery.

Rei still didn't know if she could ever forgive her father for what he had done. It would take a lot more than a simple "I'm sorry" to make up for the years of pain he caused, but as they walked together back to Hikawa, his hand grasping hers, Rei knew she was willing to at least try.

She glanced up at the sky. The clouds were beginning to disperse, and she saw a tiny patch of blue. It was small, but for now it was enough.

It was enough.


End file.
